Simone Biles began her elite gymnastics career in Houston in 2011.
At age 14, Biles entered the elite ranks at the 2011 American Classic in Houston, Texas, on July 1. She finished third in the all-around and won the vault and balance-beam titles, an impressive debut that quickly established her as a junior prospect.
The Houston meet was not the same event as the U.S. Classic later that month. Biles competed at the U.S. Classic in Chicago, where she placed 20th in the all-around. That distinction explains why Chicago is a tempting but incorrect answer: it was another 2011 competition, not the city of her elite debut.
Biles’s early development took place in Texas. She had first tried gymnastics at age six during a day-care field trip and began training with Aimee Boorman at age eight. Her 2011 breakthrough came after years of preparation at Bannon’s Gymnastix.