Learn … Prior to 1981, the minimum required age to compete in senior events sanctioned by the FIG … Simone Biles has five Olympic medals.
Mary Lou Retton, gymnast who was the first American woman to win an individual Olympic gold medal in gymnastics. Oksana Aleksandrovna Chusovitina (Russian: Оксана Александровна Чусовитина; born 19 June 1975) is an Olympic gymnast who has competed for the Soviet Union, Uzbekistan, and Germany.. Chusovitina's career as an elite gymnast has spanned more than a quarter century. The instructors suggested she continue with gymnastics. Note: The International Gymnastics Federation recommended to the IOC that the medals of … Biles soon enrolled in an optional training program at Bannon's Gymnastix.

Biles first tried gymnastics at 6 years old as part of a day-care field trip.

She holds an American record for the most gold medals won by a woman gymnast in a single Olympic Games. At the 1984 Summer Olympic Games in Los Angeles, she achieved perfect scores in her final two events to win a dramatic victory in the all-around exercises. She began training with coach Aimee Boorman at age 8.