"My stomach hurts a lot" - When Simone Biles opened up about being affected by pressure before her first major competition appearance

Simone Biles once opened up about her experience of her international debut in the 2013 American Cup. She reflected on the immense pressure she experienced before the competition.

In her autobiography, Courage to Soar: A Body in Motion, A Life in Balance, published in 2016, Biles reflected upon how Kyla Ross emphasized the importance of the event while congratulating her on being selected. Ross also highlighted the large crowd and media attention featured at the meet.

Owing to the pressure, Biles started feeling nervous and stomach pain before the competition. However, after coach Martha Karolyi's reassurance that her pain was likely caused due to anxiety, her unease disappeared.

"I ended up feeling really sick on competition day. My stomach felt as if it was twisted up in knots. I kept stretching and moaning, pain stabbing me with every move. After a while, Martha came over. “Are you okay?” she asked. “My stomach hurts a lot,” I admitted."

Biles added:

"Martha didn’t seem that worried, and told me that other gymnasts she’d coached had suffered the same stomach pains when they were anxious before meets. Once I realized the knots in my stomach were just nerves, the pain eased slightly."

In the 2013 American Cup, Simone Biles secured second place in the all-around event after posting 57.666 points to follow Katelyn Ohashi who registered 59.199 points.

Simone Biles went on to secure nine national championships and registered a record for the most titles

Simone Biles of Team United States at the Olympic Games 2024 in Paris, France. (Photo by Getty Images)

Simone Biles became the gymnast with the most number of national championship titles in the USA after the 2024 edition. So far in her peerless career, the legendary gymnast has bagged nine national championships titles in 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2023, and 2024.

Biles won her first national title at the 2013 edition, where she made her senior debut. She dominated the event after collecting 120.450 points to surpass Kyla Ross who gathered 120.250 points. Her last national championship title was at the 2024 edition, where she listed 119.750 points to overpower Skye Blakely and Kayla DiCello, who registered 113.850 and 110.800 points, respectively.

In the 2024 National Championships, Simone Biles became the oldest gymnast to have won the title. In the same year, she also became the most decorated US Olympic gymnast after clinching four medals at the 2024 Paris Games.