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“I’m not the next Usain Bolt or Michael Phelps. I’m the first Simone Biles,” declared the gymnastics GOAT herself. And truer words have never been spoken! But as Simone Biles takes the spotlight for Team USA at the Paris Olympics, there’s another Biles who’s stealing some of that shine—her younger sister, Adria.
After the Rio Olympics, Adria shared, “Even in Brazil, people came up to me everyday thinking I was her. They’d ask for autographs and take pictures.” Talk about a case of mistaken identity! Both Simone and Adria have that gymnastics magic running through their veins, which makes telling them apart a real challenge. But here’s the catch: height is the giveaway. And now, in another twist, as Simone settles into the Olympic and Paralympic village in Paris, her doppelgänger Adria is taking the reins as the family’s gymnast at their parents’ gym, WCC, in Texas.
As Simone Biles is set to shine in Paris, Adria takes charge back home at WCC
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In an Instagram story on July 22, 2024, Adria Biles shared a hilarious snippet of her trying to nail a standing full into a foam pit at the World Champions Centre, the gym owned by her and Simone’s parents. Instead of sticking the landing, Adria ended up head-first in the foam, leaving her and her friend in fits of laughter. She captioned the post, “Y’all go watch my TikTok if you wanna laugh,” and dropped a link to her account. On TikTok, Adria’s antics were in full swing.
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She explained, “Okay so for those of you that don’t know, I did gymnastics as well and I was training level when I quit and I think it’s been six or seven years; I quit when I was 16–17; now I’m 25, and I just wanted to try some stuff today and see what I could still do.” First up, the splits. Adria gave it a shot, only to scream, “Ow ow ow!” in pain, giggling at herself. Then came the switch leap, an advanced move that requires flexibility and mastery.
While she managed just over a half-split, she yelled in pain again. Next, she tried a front handspring, tumbling forward while the trainer did a full flip. Adria ended up in a handstand, falling back and laughing at herself. She powered through a back handspring with great force, finally nailing it after some effort, followed by a standing tuck, which she executed perfectly. “I hope I can do that when I’m like 80,” she quipped to the camera.
Then came the standing full into the foam pit. After four or five failed attempts, she finally nailed it with a perfect landing. She finished with a backward flick and a flawless aerial. Adria captioned the post, “You sure yall dont need help in paris? 🤣” Clearly proud of her attempts. Reflecting on these hilarious moments, did you know that the sport, which now brings her so much joy, once caused Adria immense pressure, leading her to quit?
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Why did Adria Biles quit gymnastics?
Adria started gymnastics at 9, following in her big sister’s footsteps. By 2015, she was competing at Level 9, also known as the junior elite level. She competed for a decade before retiring in 2016. Simone once shared why Adria quit, revealing the immense pressure and constant comparisons she faced. Simone said, “Whenever she went to competitions like ‘Oh, her sister always wins, she always wins, that’s not fair.’ So she quit.”
![](https://image-cdn.essentiallysports.com/wp-content/uploads/Adria-Biles-and-Simone-Biles-1-1.jpg?width=150&blur=15)
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Despite stepping away, Simone would love to see her sister back on the mat. In 2021, she retweeted a study from the Telegraph that read, “When a pair of siblings both played the same sport professionally, the younger one was more successful.” She tagged Adria laughingly, saying, “uh oh @adria_biles you better get back in the gym.”
Adria responded, “Nahh that’s all you, sister.” And added, “Not the case in this case.” Even though she left gymnastics, Adria has always been Simone’s biggest supporter. When Simone made it to the Paris Olympics, Adria was seen in the Target Center in Minneapolis, crying tears of joy. She wrote, “See you in Paris, sissyyyy 🤩 @SimoneBiles.” Reflecting on the journey of these two incredible sisters, what are your thoughts on Adria Biles’ gymnastics moves? Share your thoughts in the comments below!