"Every Sunday in church, I'd visualize making the national team, that was my prayer" - When Simone Biles opened up on her relationship with God

American gymnast and seven-time Olympic gold medalist, Simone Biles once opened up about her relationship with the almighty.

In the first chapter of her memoir titled, 'Courage to Soar,' Biles recounted her religious practices leading up to the 2011 National Gymnastics Championships. She shared that she attended church services every Sunday and offered prayers to be selected for the national team.

These practices were a sign of the deep faith and belief she had in the almighty. She also mentioned that she used to 'visualize' herself as a member of the US national team in her prayers. She said:

"In church every Sunday, with my younger sister, Adria, at my side, I’d kneel with my eyes tightly shut and pray for my family and my teammates. I’d then visualize making the national team, imagining it like a movie. That was my prayer, and I believed God was with me on this."

The 2011 event was one of the first national tournaments for Biles in her gymnastics career. She competed in the junior division, participating in the vault event. She secured a tie for seventh place in the competition. Owing to this performance, Biles failed to accommodate herself in the US junior national team by one spot.

Fast forward to 2024, Biles has cemented her status as a gymnastics icon, accumulating nearly every accolade imaginable in the sport.

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"I chose to do this" - When Simone Biles opened up about her injury at the 2024 Paris Olympics

Biles after Women's pole Vault finals on the eighth day of the 2024 Paris Olympics (Image via Getty Images)

Simone Biles opened up about her calf injury with which she competed at the 2024 Olympic Games. This came just a few days after the conclusion of her campaign at the French capital.

This wasn't the first time that Biles faced such a setback amidst the Games. The Ohio native faced a similar physical problem at the 2020 edition in Tokyo when she suffered from twisties.

In an interview with NBC News, the 27-year-old revealed that despite her injury, she felt mentally prepared to compete. She also emphasized that she wasn't dwelling on the potential consequences of competing with the injury.

"I’m a lot happier and I chose to do this. So, at the end of the day, whatever happens, happens. I’m in a good spot mentally and physically, so you can’t take that away from me," she said.

Despite her injury in Paris, Biles delivered impressive performances throughout the tournament, securing four medals for her country.