“Didn’t Think I Belonged There” – Simone Biles Reveals Which Tournament Changed Her Career

Published 07/15/2021, 10:32 AM EDT

Simone Biles has had a record-breaking career that has made her the best gymnast in history. Now she is just 24 but to a gymnast that is a veteran’s age. Biles won her first major medal at the 2013 World Championships and since then she has bossed gymnastics.

Before 2013, Biles just missed out on the 2012 London Olympics ticket as she was too young. She was a few months short of the cut-off and hence missed it, but her potential was always there. Then 2013 came where she made her entry into senior gymnastics and stunned the world.

Simone Biles on the 2013 World Championships

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Biles won two gold medals, one silver medal, and one bronze medal at her first world championships in 2013. She was 16 back then and was an upcoming sensation. And that is the event in which Simone herself recognized her potential.

“I would say 2013 world championships because I really didn’t think I belonged there with all of the other girls. Some had been to worlds previous years, some had been to Olympics in previous years and I just didn’t think my gymnastics was up to par and that’s what kind of changed my life after that,” Biles revealed her breakthrough tournament.

Gymnastics always is a popular sport in the USA. Hence, there is a lot of competition. However, back in 2013, an upcoming Simone Biles was unfazed by any rivalry and just looked at doing her best.

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“It feels pretty good, but it hasn’t really sunken in yet, but I know what I’ve done is a big accomplishment. We don’t really think … of each other like competition. So we try to have it the best way and think `Wow, this is worlds, we still cannot even believe it,'” Biles had said back in 2013.

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Now after eight years since the 2013 World Championships, Biles is the greatest gymnast of all time and has over 25 gold medals in her career. She is looking at Tokyo Olympics 2020 as the leader of a young American gymnastic group. How many medals is she bringing from Tokyo?

“I Am a Target” – Simone Biles Bashes International Gymnastics Federation for Devaluing Her Skills

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Bhavishya Mittal is a tennis author for EssentiallySports, who is currently pursuing his Bachelor's degree in Journalism from Manipal University. A former sports editor for The Manipal Journal, Bhavishya has also worked for The New Indian Express. He has a keen eye for many sports but he is a particularly ardent follower of tennis, with a zest to create riveting articles on the ever-evolving sport.