“I’m one of the few gymnasts who can
just block out anything. I could probably
be thinking about pizza before I go and
compete. A lot of people like to focus on
their routines, but I feel like if I focus on it
too much, I get more stressed out and I
overthink; and that’s when I don’t do my
best. I try not to think about it. I’ll wave to
the girls in the crowd, and I’ll just interact
with them. I guess I’m just different.”
—SIMONE BILES In a sport in which a split-second loss of balance
could mean the difference between a gold medal and obscurity, Biles
has been seemingly immune to pressure. The American gymnastics
star won five medals (four of them gold) at the 2016 Olympics in Rio
and became the first woman to win four world championship all-around
titles. While her rivals may be obsessing over the details of their
routines, Biles lets herself be distracted during competitions, as she
shared with the International Olympic Committee’s Athlete 365 website.