“It was a very long and hard decision. My dad kept telling me, ‘You can always go to college, but you can’t always go pro.’ That made sense to me.”

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.

If I won gold in 2016, I think it would change my life.

I’m always trying to push myself to the limit to see what I can do. It’s my strong will that I’ve always had since I was a kid.

Every important choice we make is being guided by one of two places: either it is an act of faith or it is an act of fear. Faith opens the door to a new future.

You can either practice being right or practice being kind.

Mindfulness is a pause – the space between stimulus and response: that’s where choice lies.

The Universe totally supports every thought I choose to think and to believe. I have unlimited choices about what I think. I choose balance, harmony, and peace, and I express it in my life.

It is not necessary to accept the choices handed down to you by life as you know it.

Attitude is a choice. What you think you can do, whether positive or negative, confident or scared, will most likely happen.

Determination can be a battle or a thrill. Choose to be thrilled.

A man who procrastinates in his choosing will inevitably have his choice made for him by circumstance.