By Maja Schwarzenberg, Year 11,
As we celebrate Neurodiversity Week, did you know that one of the world’s greatest gymnasts continues to be successful despite having ADHD? Simone Biles is an Olympic gymnast born on March 14, 1997, in Columbus, Ohio. From a very early age, her teachers noticed that she had a talent for gymnastics, but talent alone would not be enough for Simone to achieve greatness. Simone’s greatest asset has been her perseverance and her ability to overcome the challenges that she encountered from a young age, and she continues to do so, even now as a gold medalist.
Simone’s childhood was very complicated because her parents both struggled with alcoholism and drug addiction. As a result, both were unable to look after her. Therefore, Simone and her three siblings were put into foster care until she was adopted by her foster parents, the Biles. After being adopted, gymnastics quickly became part of her life. Even though she loved and was talented in gymnastics, it was not always easy. Being part of the USA team became increasingly challenging, causing more and more pressure. What’s more is that Simone was also struggling with her attention deficit, which she was diagnosed with at a young age. Thanks to medication such as Ritalin, and her mom, who helped her with organization, Simone entered the world of competitive gymnastics. To do so, she would need to make some important sacrifices, such as leaving school to be homeschooled. This also meant that she would train six to eight hours a day.
Nevertheless, as good as she was physically, there were signs that Simone was struggling mentally. At the 2013 US Classic, she uncharacteristically lost her balance on the beam and fell during her floor routine. This raised the alarm for Simone and her coach that it was time for her to get some mental health support. Simone realized that she had to stop thinking about what others expected of her and actually enjoy what she loves to do. It was with that breakthrough that Simone was able to peak to new heights.
Despite her challenges and setbacks, Simon Biles has never ceased to amaze. She won a plethora of awards, from the US & World Championships to the US Classic competition and many other World Cups. During the summer of the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, she became one of the world’s most decorated gymnasts as she won three gold and one silver medal, totalling eleven Olympic medals in her lifetime. Simone is a reminder for us that neurodiversity is not an obstacle to greatness. Neurodiversity was perhaps a gift to Simone as it made her resilient and persistent when others might have given up.
