7 News Belize

Simone’s Session With Youths
posted (December 29, 2016)
Winning five medals in the gymnastics competition at the Summer Olympics. Before Simone Biles, no American woman had ever done it before. That's a singular distinction. And for her unmatched accomplishment, Biles was yesterday named the Associated Press female athlete of the year - beating out perennial favourites such as Serena Williams.

What would you like to ask someone who'd done something so singular?

Well today, Belize's young athletes got just that chance when Biles participated in a question and answer session with students, athletes and fans. Our cameras were there to capture the event...

Alex Courtenay reporting
Simone Biles spent the last week on vacation in Belize with her family. Today she took some time out of her holiday to sit down for a motivational question and answer session with her Belizean fans. They had a lot to ask, but of course, the first thing on everyone's mind was what her favorite parts of Belize are.

Voice of: Fan
"What's your favorite part about Belize?"

Simone Biles - Olympic Gold Medalist
"I think the people and the food. Just because I love coming here and being with all the people and my family."

Voice of: Fan #2
"While you're here in Belize, what is your favorite Belizean dish?"

Simone Biles - Olympic Gold Medalist
"My favorite Belizean dish would be stew chicken and rice and beans."

Voice of: Fan #3
"Good morning Simone I wanted to ask if you see potential in Belizean youths in the gymnastic arena like the tumblers you saw when you arrived?"

Simone Biles - Olympic Gold Medalist
"Yes honestly I thought the tumblers were better than me because I tumble without shoes but on a spring floor and they were doing it on concrete so I give them props, that's something crazy."

The crowd was filled with young Belizean athletes and coaches who were eager to get advice from one of the most decorated athletes of her generation.

Voice of: Fan #4
"I wanted to ask you if you ever get nervous and if you do, how do you deal with it?"

Simone Biles - Olympic Gold Medalist
"Sometimes I do get nervous whenever I go out there to compete but then I remember and remind myself how many routines and how many times I've gone over everything and how well I've done it. So I just go out there and autopilot kicks in."

Voice of: Fan #5
"And when you do make mistakes, what are you thinking when you're in front of all those people? what do you say to yourself to encourage yourself to keep on going?"

Simone Biles - Olympic Gold Medalist
"I just try not to think about it, I just try to keep going because some of the mistakes that we make some people don't even notice them. Like on bars, if you do something and you mess up, if you just keep swinging, the judges sometimes don't know your routine so you don't really think about it you just kind of think 'what's next?' so that you still keep a good routine."

Voice of: Fan #6
"Morning Simone, you did a stellar, amazing job at the Olympics with all those gold medals, but after that, do you feel pressured about not making mistakes since your Olympic performance?"

Simone Biles - Olympic Gold Medalist
"Not necessarily because we all make mistakes, but you learn from them and you sometimes can't stop them, it's part of the sports, part of the lifestyle, but I just try not to think about it and just think about how many times I've done them right."

Voice of: Fan #7
"Hi Simone, thank you to be here. You're just so awesome and a role model for my daughter who's also a gymnast in level 7. I know it's very difficult, it's one of the hardest sports to do because it develops your body, mind, everything. I really thank you for doing that for my daughter but I wanted to find out, being a mom for a gymnast, where does that drive come from? Is it mostly when you go through difficult times, injuries and challenges of making mistakes, where does that drive come from? Is it from you or from people who support you? Sometimes I don't know when to stand back and don't do anything."

Simone Biles - Olympic Gold Medalist
"I think it comes from both sides but me being an athlete growing up, it always came from me but it always comes through help from family, friends and all your mentors, because you're not alone in that situation. So it's kind of like a push and pull situation. Your friends and family knows when to push or pull back but other than that I've always wanted to do it and I've always struggled with some things going through it but I always kept an open mind about it."

Voice of: Fan #8
"So you are the best gymnast in the world. I mean that's pretty awesome."

Simone Biles - Olympic Gold Medalist
"Thank you."

Voice of: Fan #8
"I mean obviously you've known that you've been good for a long time but when did you start to even think that the best in the world was even part of the conversation?"

Simone Biles - Olympic Gold Medalist
"I actually didn't realize how good I was until probably 15-16 years old because it kind of hit me later when I was a mess, younger and in gymnastics I was all over the place. I got it together and whenever I went to my first world championships I was with Kyla Ross, Mikayla Maroni and Brenda... and I was like 'they've been to the Olympics; they've been to worlds'. Then you step on the international scene and I said 'I'm competing with Olympians, like maybe I am good now'. Then I won my first worlds and I said 'okay maybe I can keep up'. So that's kind of when it hit me and I started having confidence and believing in myself that I can keep up with the older girls."

Voice of: Fan #8
"So when you started beating them?"

Simone Biles - Olympic Gold Medalist
"Yes When I started beating them, I guess."

The crowd was also very interested in Biles' workout routine, eagerly questioning her about her diet and training process.

Voice of: Fan #9
"Hi, I would like to know what is your typical workout routine?"

Simone Biles - Olympic Gold Medalist
"I do train twice a day in the morning and in the evening. I usually go over all my routines or all my skills and do basics in the morning and conditioning. Then at night it's sometimes routines and go over conditioning again and any basics that I missed."

Voice of: Fan #10
"What does your diet consist of when you are training?"

Simone Biles - Olympic Gold Medalist
"Whenever I'm training I eat a lot of protein, vegetables, fish, chicken. Usually I try to stay on the healthier side but I do go out and have ice cream and stuff like that occasionally."

While Biles is still young herself, she is an inspiration to a new generation of athletes who aspire represent their country on the international stage.

Mia Chang - Level 7 Gymnast
"Sometimes I have struggles and I just look at Simone and how many struggles she had. Now I know how far I can go."

Alex Courtenay, 7News
"So would you say that she is one of your major inspirations?"

Mia Chang - Level 7 Gymnast
"Yes I would. She makes me want to go further each time."

Alex Courtenay, 7News
"Does that mean that you are aspiring to go to the Olympics just like her?"

Mia Chang - Level 7 Gymnast
"Yeah."

Ashanti Carr - CODICADER Track and Field Gold Medalist
"My experience as a young Belizean athlete is very successful because when I go out I always bring back medal. For her to be here and inspire us to push and give that extra push just to show that we can be as good as her."

Alex Courtenay, 7News
"So knowing that she is Belizean and that she made it all the way to the Olympics, does that inspire you or does that keep your mind open to how far you can go?"

Ashanti Carr - CODICADER Track and Field Gold Medalist
"Definitely."

Alex Courtenay, 7News
"So then we should expect to see you representing Belize at a much higher level soon?"

Ashanti Carr - CODICADER Track and Field Gold Medalist
"Yes very soon."

Biles was scheduled to leave the country today.

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