“Why are these people looking at me?” - When Simone Biles opened up about being startled during initial moments of experiencing stardom

In her autobiography, "Courage to Soar", published in November 2016, Simone Biles talked about being stunned during her initial moments of experiencing stardom following her third consecutive World Championship title in the all-around event at the 2015 edition in Glasgow, Scotland. She described the moment she realized the significance of her three-peat victory.

Biles wrote:

"I was at the mall with [sister] Adria and people kept watching me. I thought maybe I was imagining it, but some people actually nodded in my direction and smiled. Others looked away quickly when I met their eyes, as if embarrassed to be caught staring. I glanced down to make sure I hadn’t buttoned my yellow silk shirt wrong or something, but no, my clothes were fine. 'Why are these people looking at me?' I whispered to Adria.

I stared at Adria, realizing just how big a deal my win at Worlds had been. For a fleeting moment, I wished I could see the hugeness of that achievement from the perspective of other people. Don’t get me wrong, I’d worked hard to get where I was, and I was thrilled to have won gold, but inside I was still just Simone sitting next to her bored and unimpressed sister in a Houston mall."

So far in her extraordinary career, Biles has secured six World Championship titles in the all-around event.

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Simone Biles's illustrious career at the World Championships

Simone Biles of the United States Women's Artistic Gymnastics team during the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, France. (Picture credit: Photo via Getty Images)

Simone Biles bagged her first all-around gold medal at the 2013 edition of the World Championships. The legendary gymnast replicated the feat in the 2014 and 2015 editions.

At the 2018 edition in Doha. Biles again dominated the all-around event, followed by another success in 2019. After returning to the sport following the Tokyo Olympics withdrawal, she cemented her dominance in the event at the 2023 edition in Antwerp, where she clinched her sixth individual all-around World Championship title.

Biles is expected to compete at the 2025 World Gymnastics Championships in Indonesia.