Simone Biles is not merely the greatest gymnast of all time — she is one of the defining athletes of the 21st century. Her journey from a foster care system in Ohio to the pinnacle of Olympic sport, through a courageous withdrawal at Tokyo for mental health reasons, to a triumphant gold-medal return at the 2024 Paris Games, is among the most compelling narratives in the history of sports. By 2026, her financial story is every bit as extraordinary as her athletic one.
| Full Name | Simone Arianne Biles Owens |
|---|---|
| Date of Birth | March 14, 1997 |
| Age | 29 years old |
| Height | 4’8″ (142 cm) |
| Nationality | American |
| Profession | Artistic Gymnast |
| Net Worth | ~$20 Million (2026 estimate) |
| Spouse | Jonathan Owens (married 2023) |
| Known For | 7 Olympic gold medals, most decorated gymnast in history, 6 skills named after her |
Early Life & Education
Simone Arianne Biles was born on March 14, 1997, in Columbus, Ohio. She and her three siblings were placed in the foster care system when she was three years old after her mother, Shanon Biles, struggled with drug and alcohol addiction and was unable to care for the children. For several difficult early years, Simone and her brother Adria were looked after through the foster system until their maternal grandfather, Ron Biles, and his wife Nellie stepped in. Ron and Nellie eventually adopted all four children and moved the family to Spring, Texas — a suburb of Houston — where Simone would discover gymnastics and change the sport forever.
Biles discovered gymnastics almost by accident. During a daycare field trip to Bannon’s Gymnastics in Spring, Texas, she instinctively began mimicking the gymnasts she saw performing. A coach noticed her natural spatial awareness and movement quality and sent a letter home encouraging her parents to enroll her in formal classes. She began formal training at age six. By 14, she was training full-time at World Champions Centre in Spring, Texas, homeschooling to accommodate a schedule that consumed most of her waking hours.
Career Timeline
World Championship Dominance (2013–2019)
Biles made her senior international debut at the 2013 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships and immediately won the all-around gold medal. She became the first American woman to win four consecutive World all-around titles (2013, 2014, 2015, 2018 — she skipped 2016 to focus on the Rio Olympics). In total, Biles has won 30 World Championship medals (23 gold, 3 silver, 4 bronze) — the most of any gymnast in the history of the sport. Her dominance at the World level is without historical precedent in the sport.
Rio 2016: Four Golds and a Nation’s Heart
At the 2016 Rio Olympics, Biles was the undisputed favorite and delivered on every expectation. She won four gold medals — team competition, individual all-around, vault, and floor exercise — and one bronze (balance beam, after stumbling on her dismount). She returned to the United States as the face of American athletics, appearing on magazine covers, cereal boxes, and White House invitations. Her combination of physical power, spatial precision, and competitive composure at just 19 years old set a standard that observers said might never be matched.
Tokyo 2021: The Twisties and Mental Health Advocacy
The Tokyo Olympics, delayed a year by the COVID-19 pandemic, were expected to be Biles’ coronation as the sport’s all-time greatest. Instead, they became something more significant: a turning point in how the world thinks about athlete mental health. Biles withdrew from the team final after experiencing the “twisties” — a dangerous spatial disorientation that gymnasts can develop in which they lose track of their body’s position mid-air. In elite gymnastics, performing skills with the twisties can be fatal. Her decision to stop competing and prioritize her safety was immediately controversial, then increasingly respected, and finally celebrated as one of the most courageous acts in modern sport.
She returned to compete in the balance beam final at Tokyo and won bronze. More importantly, she used the global platform her withdrawal created to speak candidly about mental health, the pressure placed on elite athletes, and the toxic environment within USA Gymnastics that had allowed the Larry Nassar abuse scandal to persist for decades. Her Tokyo experience transformed her from a gymnastics champion into a cultural figure of genuine significance.
Paris 2024: The Greatest Comeback
The 2024 Paris Olympics marked one of the greatest individual comebacks in Olympic history. Biles, now 27 and married, returned to competition at her third Games and delivered arguably the greatest sustained performance in women’s artistic gymnastics at an Olympic event. She won four gold medals — team final, individual all-around, vault, and floor exercise — becoming the most decorated American gymnast at a single Olympic Games. Her performances in Paris were watched by hundreds of millions of viewers globally and generated some of the most widely shared sports media moments of 2024. The comeback cemented her legacy beyond any reasonable debate.
Net Worth and Income Sources
Simone Biles’ net worth is estimated at approximately $20 million as of 2026. While substantially lower than athletes in major professional team sports leagues, this figure represents remarkable wealth-building in a sport where elite competitors historically received extremely limited financial compensation beyond Olympic stipends and modest prize money. Biles has maximized her commercial opportunities through a strategic approach to brand partnerships that emphasizes alignment with her values.
| Income Source | Estimated Amount | Type | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Athleta (Gap Inc.) Partnership | $3–5M/year | Annual (personal) | Left Nike for Athleta in 2021; multi-year deal with equity component |
| Visa Sponsorship | $1–2M/year | Annual (personal) | Long-running Olympics-cycle deal |
| Uber Eats, Comcast, and Other Campaigns | $1–3M/year | Annual (personal) | Brand campaigns intensify around Olympic cycles |
| Memoir and Documentary | $1–2M cumulative | Cumulative | Courage to Soar book advance + Netflix documentary deal |
| Speaking Engagements | $500K–1M/year | Annual (personal) | Corporate keynotes and advocacy appearances at premium rates |
| Estimated Total Net Worth | ~$20 Million (2026 estimate) | ||
Net Worth Over Time
Biles’ net worth grew substantially after her Rio 2016 dominance, climbing from under $5 million to approximately $10 million as endorsement deals from Under Armour, Hershey’s, and others added to her income. Her decision to leave Nike for Athleta in 2021 — citing Athleta’s specific commitment to women athletes — was financially significant, as the deal reportedly included an equity stake alongside the sponsorship fee. Her Paris 2024 performance and the global storytelling around her comeback supercharged brand interest. Analysts estimate her net worth grew from approximately $16 million pre-Paris to around $20 million by the end of 2026, with further growth expected as the Paris sponsorship cycle continues.
Personal Life and Relationships
Simone Biles married NFL safety Jonathan Owens in a courthouse ceremony in April 2023, followed by a larger celebration in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico in May 2023. Owens played for the Green Bay Packers and subsequently the Chicago Bears. The couple met in March 2020 on the dating app Raya during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns. Biles has spoken openly in interviews about how Owens’ emotional support and consistent presence was a key factor in her ability to return to elite competition for Paris 2024. The couple are based in the Houston, Texas area.
Awards and Recognition
Biles is the most decorated gymnast in World Championship history with 30 World Championship medals (23 gold). She has 7 Olympic medals (6 gold, 1 bronze). Six gymnastics skills are officially named after her in the Code of Points — the Biles (floor exercise), Biles II (floor exercise), Biles (vault), Biles (balance beam), Biles on uneven bars, and Biles III (floor exercise). Having six named skills is an unprecedented distinction for an active competitor. She was named Time Magazine’s Athlete of the Year in 2016, received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2022, and has appeared on Time’s 100 Most Influential People list multiple times.
Little-Known Facts About Simone Biles
- At 4’8″, Biles is shorter than the average elite female gymnast, yet her power-to-weight ratio and air awareness are considered exceptional even at the elite Olympic level.
- She was diagnosed with ADHD as a child and takes prescription medication. When the 2016 Russian hacking collective Fancy Bear leaked her medical records, she responded publicly and openly, helping to destigmatize ADHD treatment in elite sport.
- She left Nike for Athleta (Gap Inc.) in 2021 specifically because Athleta committed to supporting her during the Tokyo withdrawal and beyond — something she felt her previous sponsors had not fully done. The move was seen as significant for athlete-brand relationship dynamics in the industry.
- Six gymnastics skills bear her name in the international Code of Points. Elements are only named after athletes if they are performed at World Championships or the Olympics — Biles has debuted so many new skills at such events that she effectively has a category of her own.
- Biles and her parents co-own World Champions Centre, the gymnastics training facility in Spring, Texas where she trains. This gives her family a stake in the broader gymnastics development ecosystem she grew up within.
What is Simone Biles’ net worth in 2026?
Simone Biles’ net worth is estimated at approximately $20 million as of 2026. Her wealth comes primarily from long-term endorsement partnerships with Athleta (Gap Inc.), Visa, and other brands, supplemented by her book advance, Netflix documentary deal, and premium speaking engagements. Her Paris 2024 comeback significantly increased her commercial appeal and is expected to generate additional sponsorship income through the end of the Olympic cycle in 2028.
How many Olympic gold medals does Simone Biles have total?
As of 2026, Simone Biles has 7 Olympic gold medals: 4 from the 2016 Rio Olympics (team, all-around, vault, floor exercise) and 4 from the 2024 Paris Olympics (team, all-around, vault, floor exercise), plus 1 Olympic bronze from Tokyo 2021 (balance beam) and 1 bronze from Rio 2016 (balance beam). This makes her the most decorated American gymnast in Olympic history by a significant margin, and she is also the most decorated gymnast in the history of the World Championships with 30 medals (23 gold).