I Know This to Be True: Simone Biles

By Geoff Blackwell and Ruth Hobday

Four-time Olympic gold medalist Simone Biles is an example of bravery, resilience, and persistence.

Looking back at her incredible career, she details her entry into gymnastics at just six years old and her rise to becoming the most decorated American gymnast of all time.

With candor, she discusses her daily disciplines, the importance of speaking up, and why female empowerment matters.

• Easily relatable, Biles is role model for any young person—especially gymnasts
• Demonstrates the importance of ambition, strength, and believing in yourself on and off the mat
• Part of the landmark book series that brims with messages of leadership, courage, compassion, and hope

Inspired by Nelson Mandela's legacy and created in collaboration with the Nelson Mandela Foundation, I Know This to Be True is a global series of books created to spark a new generation of leaders.

The series is a collection of extraordinary figures from diverse backgrounds answering the same questions, as well as sharing their compelling stories, guiding ideals, and insightful wisdom.

• This series offers encouragement and guidance to graduates, future leaders, and anyone hoping to make a positive impact on the world
• Royalties from sales of the series support the free distribution of material from the series to the world's developing economy countries
• You'll love this book if you love books like Make Your Bed: Little Things That Can Change Your Life . . . And Maybe the World by Admiral William H. McRaven; In the Company of Women: Inspiration and Advice from over 100 Makers, Artists, and Entrepreneurs by Grace Bonney; and Courage to Soar: A Body in Motion, A Life in Balance by Simone Biles.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Chronicle Books Digital
• Release date: Nov 10, 2020
• ISBN: 9781797207377

Geoff Blackwell

Ruth Hobday and Geoff Blackwell are the creative team behind such bestselling projects as Nelson Mandela's Conversations with Myself. Worldwide travelers, they are based in New Zealand.

Book preview

I know this to be true

Dedicated to the legacy

and memory of

Nelson Mandela

First published in the United States of America in 2020 by Chronicle Books LLC.

Produced and originated by

Blackwell and Ruth Limited

Suite 405, Ironbank,150 Karangahape Road

Auckland 1010, New Zealand

www.blackwellandruth.com

Publisher: Geoff Blackwell

Editor in Chief & Project Editor: Ruth Hobday

Design Director: Cameron Gibb

Designer & Production Coordinator: Olivia van Velthooven

Publishing Manager: Nikki Addison

Digital Publishing Manager: Elizabeth Blackwell

Images copyright © 2020 Geoff Blackwell

Layout and design copyright © 2020 Blackwell and Ruth Limited

Introduction by Nikki Addison

Acknowledgements for permission to reprint previously published and unpublished material can be found on page 75. All other text copyright © 2020 Blackwell and Ruth Limited.

Nelson Mandela, the Nelson Mandela Foundation and the Nelson Mandela Foundation logo are registered trademarks of the Nelson Mandela Foundation.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without prior consent of the publishers.

The views expressed in this book are not necessarily those of the publisher.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data available.

ISBN 978-1-7972-0022-4 (paperback)

ISBN 978-1-7972-0737-7 (epub, mobi)

Chronicle Books LLC

680 Second Street

San Francisco, CA 94107

www.chroniclebooks.com

Contents

Introduction 11

The Interview 21

About Simone Biles 60

About the Project 64

The People Behind the Project 66

About Nelson Mandela 68

About the Nelson Mandela Foundation 71

Notes 72

Sources and Permissions 74

‘I’m not the next Usain Bolt or Michael Phelps. I’m the first Simone Biles.’

Introduction

When she was three years old, Simone Biles and her three siblings were placed into foster care. Their parents had a number of personal struggles and were unable to raise them alone. Because of their age, Simone and her younger sister Adria spent time in foster care, where visits from their maternal grandfather, Ron, were a consistent highlight. Finally, when she was six,