"Never really seen my mom cry" - When Simone Biles opened up about emotional moment with her parents after her first major World Championship victory

Simone Biles has been the face of international gymnastics for more than a decade. The Olympian opened up in 2016 on how her performance at the 2013 World Championships made her parents emotional.

Biles marked her presence in the international arena at the 2013 World Championships, with two gold medals, in the all-around and floor exercise events, a silver medal in the vault, and a bronze medal in the balance beam event.

In a video shared by Buzzfeed on YouTube in 2016, the Olympic champion opened up on her performance at the 2013 World Gymnastics Championships held in Antwerp, Belgium. The then 19-year-old gymnast talked about how her performance impacted her parents Ron and Nellie Biles. Biles also talked about how she felt when her parents turned emotional on her first World Championship victory. She said,

"Yes, it made me tear up coz I got a big screen in the arena, they'd showed my parents and I never really seen my mom cry or my dad cry. And they were sobbing up there, I was like 'Oh my God, they're just so cute.' It just made me feel so accomplished that they're just so proud of me that they cried" [1:05 onwards].

Simone Biles went on to create multiple records after the 2013 World Championships. She has a whopping 23 gold medals, 4 silver medals and 3 bronze medals from the World Artistic Gymnastics Championships to her credit.

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Simone Biles on her parents' unwavering support in her gymnastics career

Simone Biles on her parents' unwavering support in the gymnastics career [Image Source : Getty]

Simone Biles owes a lot to her adoptive parents Ron & Nellie Biles. They have offered her unwavering support on her way to becoming a record-breaking gymnast. Her mother had left no stone unturned to ensure that the gymnast got the best facilities.

In 2023, Biles expressed her love for her mother through an Instagram post, where she wrote,

"@athleta has been celebrating moms all week, and I can't let Mother's Day pass without showing some love for my amazing mama!. It can be so hard for moms to prioritize their own well-being, but then they do, it's inspiring for women and girls everywhere. Growing up, my mom did so much to support me and my dreams, she's the reason why I know it's important to take care of myself. Love You Mom!!"

In another interview in March 2024, Biles spoke about the sacrifices made by her parents. She said,

"They've meant the world and they've sacrificed so much for me to do what I love. It's just amazing how excited they are every time I go out to compete. I know they're so nervous, so it means a lot that they don't like run out of the arena and don't watch and that they stay there and watch it."

Simone Biles is the joint second-most decorated female gymnast of all time, with 11 Olympic medals, including seven gold medals, to her name. She shares the honor with Czech former gymnast Vera Caslavska.