“You can have fun and do well. Just let loose a bit.”

You can still be very good at what you do and have fun.

We strive for greatness.

As a kid growing up, I was never like, ‘I want to go to the Olympics,’ so having to pass on 2012 because I was too young didn’t bother me at all.

I always say my biggest competitor is myself because, whenever I step out there on the mat, I’m competing against myself to prove that I can do this and that I am very well trained, prepared for it.

In the morning, I usually get up between 7:40 A.M. and 7:45 A.M., and then I’ll brush my teeth, do my hair, and just throw on my leotard and my clothes and go to the kitchen.

My mom, Nellie, got me a rosary at church. I don’t use it to pray before a competition. I’ll just pray normally to myself, but I have it there in case.

Most athletes get intimidated once they see how many fans are out there, but it almost calms me down in a way because I think of it as a fun way to show off what I’ve been working on.

I guess I just have really tough skin.

I started gymnastics when I was six years old. I was at day care, and they took us on a field trip to a gym club, Bannon’s Gymnastix in Houston, and that’s how I got started.

I’m the first Simone Biles.

One of my favourite things to do is compete for a crowd. It’s just really fun for me.

It doesn’t even matter if I don’t win a self-gold – after every meet, I have pizza. Pepperoni pizza.

I don’t fear what will happen, but you just get ahead of yourself, like, ‘Oh my gosh, I wish it would happen now.’

Father served in the Air Force for 22 years.

I was built this way for a reason, so I’m going to use it.

Growing up, it was kind of a struggle being small, since everyone would make fun of you – except for when it came to hide and seek: that’s the only advantage I ever had!

When you’re having fun, each moment becomes magical

No matter what, I’m trying to have fun and, depending on the mood, fun can be on a roller coaster and playing onstage, or fun can be sitting in a room with three of your best friends talking for two hours.

I was one of those kids who was just always on the Internet, always on YouTube, so it was easy for me to do it. It’s not work. It’s just fun.

I think for me, the most fun competition that I’ve had was my first Worlds.

There’s something wrong with a mother who washes out a measuring cup with soap and water after she’s only measured water in it.

If you can’t make fun of yourself, you don’t have any right to make fun of others.

I don’t worry about playing basketball; that comes natural. I just want to have fun.

I guess I started too early because I just thought it was something fun to do.