Where is Simone Biles from? College, hometown, Olympic career for USA gymnast star

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The U.S. women's Olympic gymnastics team is set, meet the team

Simone Biles is back along with some returning faces as the team looks to build on their Tokyo team silver medal at the Paris Games.

There are few Olympians who are as widely considered to be as great in their respective sports as Simone Biles is in gymnastics

Biles, who is making her third Olympic appearance at these 2024 Paris Olympics, has been in the spotlight ever since she stepped onto the Olympic stage at the 2016 Rio Olympics as a member of the "Final Five" team that won gold in the team all-around event.

Since then, the spotlight — along with the high expectations — has followed Biles. The latter of the two was on full display heading into the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, where she withdrew from the competition for mental health reasons.

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Now, Biles — the veteran of this year's USA gymnastics team that also features returning gold medalist in the individual all-around competition, Suni Lee — is back at the Summer Olympics, where she will look to lead the United States back to gold in the team all-around event after a silver medal finish in 2021.

"I knew I wasn't done after the performances in Tokyo," Biles told USA TODAY after qualifying for Paris. "Getting back in the gym and trusting the process with (coaches Cecile and Laurent Landi), I knew I'd be back."

Here's what you need to know on Biles leading into the 2024 Paris Olympics, including where she is from, her Olympic career history and more:

Where is Simone Biles from?

• Birth place: Columbus, Ohio
• Residence: Spring, Texas

Originally born in Columbus, Ohio, Biles grew up in Spring, Texas, north of Houston.

She and her younger sister, Adria, moved to Spring after being adopted by grandparents Ron and Nellie Biles. Prior to that, Biles — who does not speak to her biological father and whose mother struggled with drugs and alcohol — lived in a foster home for some time.

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Simone Biles husband

Biles is married to former Houston Texans and now-Chicago Bears safety Jonathan Owens. The two got married in the spring 2023, first at a Houston courthouse before a destination wedding in Cabo, Mexico in May.

They currently live in Spring, Texas.

What college did Simone Biles go to?

Biles' dream school was UCLA, but that wasn't where the seven-time Olympic medalist went to college. As noted by the Indianapolis Star, Biles attended college online at the University of the People, due to her gymnastics schedule.

When was Simone Biles' first Olympics?

Biles made her Olympic debut at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics at 19-years-old.

Biles showed no rookie fatigue at her first Olympics, as she became the first female gymnast to win four gold medals in international competition since Lyudmila Tourischeva at the 1974 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships. Biles picked up gold medals in the floor exercise, vault, individual all-around and team all-around that year in Rio.

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How tall is Simone Biles?

As previously noted by USA TODAY, Biles is listed at 4-foot-8 inches.

How many medals does Simone Biles have?

• Total Olympic medals: Seven
• Gold medal count: Four
• Silver medal count: One
• Bronze medal count: Two

Biles heads into the 2024 Paris Olympics with seven Olympic medals, four of which are gold. Despite withdrawing from the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, Biles left Tokyo with a silver and bronze medal in women's team and balance beam, respectively.

Here's a look at each of Biles' Olympic medals, beginning with the 2016 Rio Olympics:

Rio 2016

• Team all-round (gold)
• Individual all-around (gold)
• Vault (gold)
• Floor (gold)
• Balance beam (bronze)

Tokyo 2020

• Women's team (silver)
• Balance beam (bronze)

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Simone Biles Olympics history

• Olympics competed in: Rio 2016 | Tokyo 2020 | Paris 2024

The 2024 Paris Olympics will be Biles' third Olympics representing Team USA in gymnastics. By qualifying for the Summer Games in Paris, Biles became the oldest female gymnast to make an Olympic team in 72 years.

The 27-year-old Biles made her Olympic debut in 2016 at the Rio Summer Games as part of the "Final Five" team that included Aly Raisman, Laurie Anderson, Gabby Douglas and Madison Kocian. That year in Rio, Biles took home gold in three of her four individual events: individual all-around, vault and floor exercise.

Biles withdrew from the 2020 Tokyo Olympics prior to the all-around team event for mental health-related issues, citing the stress that comes with being an Olympic athlete amongst other things including personal life issues.

"It just felt like it would be a little bit better to take a back seat to work on my mindfulness. I knew that the girls would do an absolutely great job and I didn't want to risk the team a medal," Biles said in 2021 at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

She added: "Therapy has helped a lot, as well as medicine. That’s all been going really well. Whenever you get in high-stress situations, you kind of freak out and don’t really know how to handle all of those emotions especially at the Olympic Games.

"This Olympic Games I wanted it to be for myself. I came in and felt like I was still doing it for other people. That just hurts my heart that doing what I love has been kind of taken away from me to please other people. I have to put my pride aside. I have to do what’s right for me and focus on my mental health and not jeopardize my health and well-being. That’s why I decided to take a step back."