Two-time World Champion Simone Biles participated in an interview this afternoon to discuss her experience on the recent World Championships. 

After winning her second consecutive title in Nanning, she became the first U.S. woman to win back-to-back World all-around titles since Shannon Miller, who won in 1993 and 1994. While in China, Biles won five medals:  Gold- team, all-around, balance beam and floor; Silver– vault. Biles now has six Worlds gold medals and nine medals overall, tying her with Nastia Liukin and Shannon Miller (9), and exceeded only by Alicia Sacramone (10).  

Last evening, Biles was named the Women’s Sports Foundation’s 2014 Individual Sportswoman of the Year at the organization’s annual gala in New York City.

Question and Answer conference call with Simone Biles, Leslie King (Vice President of Communications, USA Gymnastics), and members of the gymnastics community:

Tell us a little bit about winning the Women’s Sports Foundation’s 2014 Individual Sportswoman of the Year award and what it was like at the gala. 

Last night was a very fun night for me because there were so many talented athletes that I got to meet. Winning the award meant a lot to me because I’ve done a lot throughout the year… It made me feel good about my accomplishments last year, it’s an honor. 

 

What is your favorite memory of Nanning outside of the gym?

Going to the mall. We got to go for an hour with our parents, that was really fun to be out there for an hour. 

Any plans to take time off the rest of the year? Or will you be diving back into training?

 

I am still going to be full time training, but we’re going to be taking it a little easier and taking some time to learn a couple new skills on the events. On vault, Marta talked about wanting to work the triple full because my 2.5 is pretty good and consistent. I want to upgrade my second vault to a Cheng. I just want to get my upgrades back on bars, and practice a layout double double on floor. 

How important is it to know you have teammates who are with you training at this level?

It is very important to have that strong team, so I think it’s good we can all do that. 

 

Explain what it was like winning a World Team title with your teammates. 

 

It means a lot because it means everything to me because it was such a fun experience with performing with your best friends and sisters… Just to be able to be up there, it was so fun. 

 

Looking at the bee situation, have you ever gotten stung by a bee before?

 

No, I’ve never gotten stung by a bee, or I’ve never gotten stung by any animal, like a wasp… So I didn’t know what would happen, so it scared me. 

How often have you been recognized in New York since you’ve been there?

I haven’t gotten recognized once, because we were in the car and we haven’t really walked around anywhere, so I haven’t really gotten recognized [outside of the gala]. 

Nastia Liukin had some nice words to say about you and looking towards the Olympics while she presented the award, what does that mean to you? Coming from such a respected athlete? Does it put pressure on you?

 

That means a lot. Pressure, I don’t let it get to me, that’s just not what I do. That means a lot that she said that because she’s an Olympic medalist, so her telling me that makes me feel good. 

 

What’s been the funniest comment you’ve gotten about the 'bee incident'?

Just about how I screamed about it, and people photoshopped my head onto a bee and named me, “Queen Bee.” 

With the changing of gyms and injuries, you had a rough start to the year. How did you stay focused on gymnastics and end up so successful?

 

Success comes from your support, and I have a very strong support system with my parents, and my coaches, and I think that’s helped along the way with me not getting distracted with all the changes and everything. They helped me realize that it’s not over. 

 

What is the status of the new gym’s completion date? Are you going to stay there?

 

We have a temporary warehouse we’re all in, so we’re doing gym out of that facility right now, and I think, but I don’t actually pay attention because I’m training all the time so it’s not my business to know, but I think May or June of next year. Right now, I’ve been waiting a while and they keep saying they’ll start building it, but right now, I’m training in a facility and that’s good enough.