• Simone Biles’ adoptive parents built her a gym to train in when she became an Olympian.
• The famous Olympian was once placed in foster care.
• She uses her fame to help others, as she believes representation matters.

Simone Biles quickly rose to fame after competing in the 2016 Rio Olympics. She made a name for herself as a gymnast and has inspired aspiring gymnasts worldwide.

She has since gained international recognition for her achievements and has become one of the most famous gymnasts worldwide. However, her roots remain humble, as does she.

After she won gold in the 2016 Olympics, many publications vied to interview Simone. In many of these interviews, she talked about how she had grown up and the support she had received all her life.

In 2015, her parents built a gym where she and other gymnasts could train. The gym is filled with everything a gymnast could ever need to be able to practice correctly and succeed in their career.

Simone oversaw the gym’s construction and was involved in the entire process from start to finish. She even updated her X page with pictures of the gym while it was under construction.

What is the Gym Like?

Ron and Nellie Biles, Simone’s adoptive parents, called the gym the World Champions Center. The website confirms that the seven core values to abide by in the gym are respect, trust, teamwork, forthrightness, growth, respect, and balance.

Five years ago, Simone was excited as the gym planned its grand opening and she said:

“It’s very exciting even though I only come here to train, and I don’t feel like it’s my parents’ gym.”

After opening the gym, Simone and her parents began the Biles International Invitational, a female-only amateur competition. Simone was excited that she would be empowering young women who would be able to prepare and compete in the same gym where she trained.

Who Inspires Simone Biles?

Simone was placed in foster care when she was just three years old after being taken from her biological mother, who struggled with substance abuse. Her maternal grandfather, Ron, and his wife, Nellie, adopted her and her younger sister.

Simone feels like she would never be where she is today if it wasn’t for her adoptive parents. She gushed:

“[They] support me in any way possible. My parents make sure we have everything we need so that we compete to the best of our abilities.”

Simone’s parents admitted that they pushed her and said that she never missed a practice as she was aspiring to one day win an Olympic gold. Even when she was sick and her parents advised her to stay home, she told them she wanted to go to practice.

Not only did Simone admit that her parents are the reason she is where she is today, but she also said that they taught her how to treat people and succeed. She doesn’t feel there’s anything she could say that would be sufficient to thank her parents.

Talking about the gym and what she’s most proud of, Simone gushed: “Representation matters, and we want to inspire the next generation to pursue their passion. Kids can come in, and we will be training in the back, and they can see we are just like them. It helps them understand they can do it, too.”