Athletes to Watch: Simone Biles

After taking about a year off from the sport following the Rio Games, the four-time 2016 Olympic gold medalist returned to competition in July 2018 under a new coach, Laurent Landi. Landi previously coached Biles’ Rio teammate, Madison Kocian, to silver on uneven bars at the 2016 Olympics, and under Landi’s guidance Biles has significantly improved her own uneven bars routine, making her a medal threat in a sixth event for Tokyo.

In her comeback – she won medals in all six events at the 2018 World Championships, including four golds – Biles has defied all reasonable expectations for a returning gymnast by increasing her level of difficulty from the Rio Games, and improving upon her weakest apparatus, uneven bars.

She became the first woman since 1987 to win a medal in all six events at Worlds, and she did so while dealing with a kidney stone throughout the competition.

Visit Simone's Team USA profile