“I think we have other things to worry about than some Zika virus.”

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!

I spend a lot of time in the gym training, and Core Power is a great fit for my nutritional needs.

I never felt I had questions or needed answers or had a part of me that was missing.

I take things one step at a time.

I have practice from 9 A.M. to 12 P.M., and then I drive home and eat lunch, which is either chicken or fish so I get the protein.

Reading is thinking with someone else’s head instead of one’s own.

Often times we think we need to escape to some far and distant place to find our peace, but it doesn’t take long to notice that you can not run from the chaos created in your mind; it will always follow.

Don’t think, but look!

To be more comfortable in someone else’s definition of love. I think, that’s what we all long for.

Words are more powerful than you think, they can make someone simultaneously they can break someone. Open your mouth only if what you are going to say is more beautiful than silence. 

Cultural identity; warped and changed. Each of you thinks the other is to blame, It’s created this way, yet we all play a role. We could stop it today if we felt the truth in our souls.

I would rather feel compassion than know the meaning of it. I would hope to act with compassion without thinking of personal gain.

We will make machines that can reason, think and do things better than we can.