Simone Biles may be a four-time Olympic gold medalist, a record-smashing gymnast and one of the greatest athletes of all time but Jonathan Owens claims he didn’t know who his now-wife was when they met. The NFL player told The Pivot podcast that he didn’t watch the Olympics so didn’t know who Biles was. “When she won the Olympics, I was in college, and we didn’t have NBC, we didn’t have Olympics channels, and we were in [training] camp in late July, early August,” he claimed. “I didn’t know who she was at the time. But like, the first thing that I saw was that she just had a bunch of followers. So in my mind I’m like, ‘OK, she’s got to be good.’’ Owens stunningly went on to say he believes he is “the catch” in the partnership. “I always say that the men are the catch,” he said while sitting next to his wife and recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom. After being widely mocked on the internet for his claim, Mr Simone Biles took to Instagram to suggest he was “unbothered” by the criticism. “Just know we locked in over here,” he said.

Every March, Americans proudly commemorate National Women’s History Month, a dedicated time to honor the diverse and often overlooked achievements of women throughout the annals of history. From the awe-inspiring athleticism of icons like Simone Biles, Serena Williams, Gabby Douglas, Suni Lee, and Sha’Carri Richardson, to the pioneering leadership of figures such as  Gretchen Walsh, and Olivia Dunne, each of these women has left an indelible mark on society.

Yet, no amount of appreciation can adequately encapsulate the magnitude of their impact. These extraordinary individuals have not only excelled in their respective sports but have also inspired countless others to dream big and defy expectations. As a poignant tribute to their achievements, LSU Tigers, renowned for their unwavering support of women and sports, shared a heartfelt reel commemorating this special occasion.

Tribute to women’s sporting legends
The reel on X commenced with each LSU athlete expressing, “I’m greater because of her.” Hailey Van Lith, 22, a standout in women’s basketball since 2020, initiates the conversation with a reflection on her sources of inspiration. Beyond the boundaries of basketball, she acknowledges the impact of athletes like Serena Williams, Gabby Douglas, and Simone Biles. Alongside legends within her own sport, such as Diana Taurasi and Sue Bird.

Echoing Hailey’s sentiments, other athletes like Bailey Ortega, Kelley Lynch from softball, Jayden Humbyrd from soccer, and Gabriel White from track and field, contribute their perspectives. Each athlete shares personal anecdotes highlighting the diverse sources of motivation that drive their athletic pursuits

From idolizing Olympic champions like Jordyn Poulter to drawing inspiration from familial role models and friends who triumph over adversity, these stories resonate with the broader theme of empowerment and representation in sports. Together, they advocate for inclusivity and recognition of women’s achievements across all athletic endeavors. However, Simone Biles’s impact in sports is seen both on and off the mats.

Simone Biles’ triumph over adversity

Simone Biles isn’t just a record breaker but an inspiration for countless women and girls worldwide. Even though she was raised by her grandparents due to her mother’s struggle with addiction. Biles’s journey embodies the transformative influence on gymnastics. Beyond her remarkable athletic achievements, Biles has fearlessly championed mental health awareness.

Simone Biles, a force to be reckoned with in the realm of artistic gymnastics, distinguishes herself as the wealthiest gymnast worldwide, underscoring her dominance both in and out of the arena. Her unmatched skill, unwavering determination, and extensive list of accomplishments have solidified her legacy in gymnastic history. As the epitome of gymnastic excellence and unparalleled success, Biles not only boasts numerous world records and accolades but also surpasses her counterparts from around the world in terms of net worth.

Origins

Biles was born on March 14, 1997, in Columbus, Ohio, to Shannon Biles and Kelvin Clemons. Her biological father was absent from her life from the start. Shannon faced the challenge of supporting four children while battling alcoholism and drug addiction, resulting in young Biles and her siblings spending years in foster care. However, three years later, her maternal grandfather, Ron Biles, adopted the siblings.

At the age of six, Biles witnessed teenage gymnasts practicing in a gymnasium during a daycare field trip. Captivated by their movements, she began mimicking their actions. Observing her potential, the coaches at the gym took notice and recommended enrolling her in a training center. Thus, Biles embarked on her journey at Bannon’s Gymnastix Center, laying the foundation for her illustrious gymnastics career.

Her achievements

With a remarkable tally of 30 World Championship medals — comprising 23 gold, four silver, and three bronze — Biles stands as the most decorated gymnast in the history of World Championships. Her collection of seven Olympic gymnastics medals ranks her ninth on the all-time list. In 2019, Biles shattered the record for the most World Championship medals in gymnastics; securing her 24th and 25th medals at the event, surpassing Vitaly Scherbo’s previous record of 23 World medals. Her dominance in national competitions was evident until 2013, when she made history as the first Black woman to clinch the all-around gold at the World Championships.

Earnings avenue

During her debut in Rio, Biles earned considerably less compared to today’s Olympians. Each of her four gold medals brought her $25,000, and she received $10,000 for the bronze, summing up to $110,000. By 2021, her earnings increased to $37,500, with $22,500 for silver and $15,000 for bronze. Altogether, she has amassed $147,500 for her seven Olympic medals.

Brand partnerships and endorsements

Like many Olympic athletes, Biles doesn’t receive a conventional salary. Biles primarily earns her income through endorsement deals. Her fortune, totaling around $16 million, has been predominantly built through these partnerships. As per a 2021 estimate by Forbes, she garners a minimum of $5 million annually through endorsements.

Among the companies she’s collaborated with are Athleta, Visa, United Airlines, MasterClass, and UberEats. At the age of 18, Biles sealed a deal with Nike, the specifics undisclosed, and their partnership spanned six years until Biles opted to switch to the inclusive brand Athleta just before the Tokyo Games.

She aligned herself with the Octagon sports agency, which also represents notable figures like Aly Raisman and Michael Phelps. Nike announced their sponsorship of Biles via Twitter in November 2015. Shortly thereafter, she struck a deal with GK Elite Sportswear to launch her own line of leotards. Biles also served as a spokesperson for Core Power’s Everyday Awesome team of athletes.

Kellogg’s featured the “Final Five” on the Gold Medal Edition of Special K cereals, with Biles prominently featured on the back of the box with one of her Rio gold medals. Following the Rio Games, Biles secured endorsement deals with Procter & Gamble, The Hershey Company, and United Airlines. She further engaged in philanthropic endeavors, becoming a spokesperson for Mattress Firm’s initiative supporting foster homes and collaborating with Spieth America to develop gymnastics equipment. Additionally, Biles endorsed Beats By Dr. Dre.

In April 2021, Biles announced her transition from Nike to Athleta, a brand under Gap, for apparel sponsorship.

In 2022, Biles ranked No. 10 on Forbes’ list of highest-paid female athletes. With ventures like a Super Bowl commercial, new campaigns for Subway and Powerade, and an activewear collection with Athleta, among others, Biles amassed an estimated $10 million.

Conquering health hurdles

At the Tokyo Olympics, she encountered the challenge known as “the twisties,” prompting her withdrawal from the event. “Twisties” refer to a condition where a gymnast loses control of their body during aerial twists. Overcoming this setback represented a significant milestone on her path to the upcoming Olympic Games. Now fully prepared, Biles is poised to compete at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.

Outside sporting arena

Following the 2016 Rio Games, Biles collaborated with journalist Michelle Burford to co-author an autobiography titled “Courage to Soar: A Body in Motion, A Life in Balance.” In the book, she expressed her desire to inspire others to pursue their dreams, acknowledging the support she received from countless individuals along her journey. The autobiography soared to the top of The New York Times best sellers Young Adult list and was later adapted into a biopic by Lifetime.

Gymnast Simone Biles performs for the crowd during the Gold Over America Tour at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse in 2021. The Gold Over America tour of world-class gymnasts is scheduled for a Cleveland stop

CLEVELAND, Ohio – The Athleta Presents Gold Over America gymnastics tour is set to return to Cleveland.

The tour stars Simone Biles and features squad members American Shilese Jones, who previously performed with the tour; 19-year-old American Fred Richard, Frenchwoman Mélanie Johanna De Jesus Dos Santos and others. It is scheduled to stop at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse at 7 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 27. Ticket sales have not been announced.

Amidst keeping a thorough love for gymnastics, Simone Biles has never been reluctant to refurbish her interest in other sports. Her NFL addiction has already filled her social media feed. Though her husband Jonathan Owens could fairly expect the credit for it, still Mrs. Owens cherishes the fights wholeheartedly by dismissing any hindrance. However, nowadays, the sporting couple is 4304 miles away from their Texan abode, much away from their sporting shackles as well. The courtesy goes to a friend’s wedding invitation. In the meantime, Simone Biles is nurturing her holiday-spending mood vividly.

Previously, her urge to set up a residency in the holiday place, Oahu, made the highlight. Now the 23x World champion has established camaraderie with a benevolent member from a different prime sport in America.

Simone Biles adores her time with a brand new sporting friend 

After posting her toned frame last day, Simone Biles used her IG story to express her love for equines. In Oahu, the Tokyo Olympics champion saw a colt alongside the sea beach. Unable to contain her excitement, she snapped a picture with him and graced it on her IG story. The gleeful caption gauged it to be “CHEEEEESE”. Eventually, she re-shared Jonathan Owens’s thankful post in a subsequent snap. In that snap, the couple was visible to be taking a stroll on the sea beach riding on the horses. JO captioned it as “She got me out here on a horse.” is.

The rest of the clicks in that IG story framed the couple enjoying the sunny climate while sipping the coconut water. Soon, the tropical mood left the place for the ultimate festivity.

Subsequent snaps set in the shared IG story displayed the Biles-Owens taking their full fervor in the friend’s marriage. Eventually, Simone Biles termed Keely Amelia Cartrett and her beau, Kamu Grugier-Hill, as “the most perfect couple” in the posted story. Simone Biles flaunted her special moment with her spouse, Jonathan Owens, by taking a selfie during their wedding festivity. “the one photo we got together….”, captioned the zealous wife, whose favorite destinations are all tropical!

Simone Biles didn’t hide her fall for tropical nature when she chose Bora Bora as her favored honeymoon destination. However, a confirmed spillover of that endeavor is yet to take place. But the 26-year-old American starlet flaunted herself, taking every sip of nature in Oahu. Her holiday days in the venue vibed perfectly with JO as the couple matched wearings and romanticism. On February 24, Simone shared her IG story with a romantic carousel framing Jonathan.

In the frames, the beach and the vast ocean remained the witness while the couple kissed each other. The next frame displayed the NFL star, much relaxed, taking an uncontrolled walk on the Oahu beach. Simone Biles captivated the scenes by wearing bikinis or any beach-suited attire, employing quality time under the sun. Thus, the Oahu outing has proved to be a perfect holiday for the couple so far.

Vacations by the ocean are always something that gymnast Simone Biles has been drawn to. The Olympic star, known for her extravagant outings and celebrations, recently went out on one to see her two friends tie the knot. Meanwhile, she wanted to make full use of her getaway to Hawaii.

With husband Jonathan Owens by her side, Biles partied hard during the union, celebrating with friends in style. However, she also made time to bask in the sunny beaches, donning some of her cherished bikini suits for stunning photos. These outfits caught the attention of fans quickly because of how well Biles styled them.

In a series of stories and photos on her Instagram, the Olympian flaunted various beach-appropriate fits and posed happily with her friends and husband. Amidst flowy floral gowns and adorning Hawaiian garlands, Biles’ tropical getaway to a wedding was what she needed to rejuvenate.

She also spent an early morning at the beach, where she took Owens on a horseback ride. The idea was to get a sunrise photoshoot at the beach, and the horses served as some form of a theme. Posting a glimpse of the adventure, the NFL icon laughed at his wife’s shenanigans.

Meanwhile, Biles also flooded her socials with adorable pictures from the wedding and the shoot. These included a hilarious shot with her horse leaning over her shoulder as she laughed at the camera. With picturesque locations and a sea breeze hitting their faces, their vacation was more than a breath of fresh air.

Before she could leave for the destination wedding, however, Biles ensured to keep her getaway as private as possible. Known for her frequent escapades to her mother’s hometown, Belize, she kept Hawaii a secret until later.

Simone Biles keeps her vacation a hush-hush affair

The Olympian and her NFL icon husband didn’t initially seem keen on making their vacation spot public. Days before they left, the gymnast posted Owens’ picture at the beach with the caption, “Ready to go on vacation again.”

They did not disclose the location before posting various glimpses of their travel. These included a picture of an airplane window overlooking the ocean and mountains below and another picture of Owens with the caption, “Prepare to be sick of me.” In the end, they revealed that the wedding they intended to attend was that of her friend, Keely Amelia Cartrett, and her fiancé, Kamu Grugier-Hill, in O’ahu, Hawaii.

American gymnast Suni Lee reacted to Simone Biles’ snaps from her ongoing vacation in Hawaii. Biles has visited the island state with her husband and NFL player Jonathan Owens to attend their friend’s wedding.

On Friday, Simone Biles and Jonathan Owens flew to Hawaii to join the wedding celebrations of NFL linebacker Kamu Grugier-Hill. The Carolina Panther member is getting married to former University of Georgia women’s soccer player Keely Amelia Cartrett.

Moreover, the social media updates of Biles and Owens suggest that the couple are spending some quality time together, along with celebrating the fellow NFL player’s wedding celebrations.

Amidst the grand occasion, Biles is also soaking in the magnificent beachy vibes of Hawaii. She shared snaps of herself with the island’s scenic beauty on her Instagram.

Biles posted an album of three pictures on her Instagram that displayed the gymnast relaxing by the blue sea, palm trees, and beautiful sky. She donned a white bikini with a black cover-up and accessorized her look with golden raindrop jewelry. Perhaps playfully hinting that she wants to stay at the pace longer, the gymnast captioned her post:

Biles’ post saw a lot of comments from her followers, including fellow team member Suni Lee. She commented on the four-time Olympic gold medal winner’s post:

While there’s still some time to go before the Olympics begin, star gymnast Simone Biles has taken time off with her husband, Jonathan Owens. The couple recently went to Hawaii for a wedding, and the glimpses from the tropical location have been dreamy. She took to Instagram to share the celebration with her fans.

In a recent post, however, Biles asked for something more. Putting up a carousel of her pictures, basking in the island sunshine, she was sporting a lace cover-up and some chunky jewelry. As she visibly soaked in the place’s beauty, she wanted more than just a vacation in Hawaii.

Biles loved the place so much that she felt the need to settle there. This does not come as a surprise since the Olympic star is known for her love of beaches and islands. An official citizen of Belize, she even made sure to organize her wedding in the coastal country, beside the breezy sea and salty ocean.

Now that she has expressed her desire to look for a residence in Hawaii, whether out of longing or in all seriousness, it adds to her list of houses in the making. Biles currently resides in Texas and has picked up the project of building a new mansion from scratch with Owens. Currently in progress, the couple’s new house sits beside a lake and opens up to a gorgeous natural view. This placement just proves how much she loves being around water bodies.

And sister Adria was stunned by her beauty and the location, exclusively commenting with exclamation marks to convey her surprise.

Gymnasts Suni Lee and Katelyn Ohashi also hyped up the gymnast:

Meanwhile, this didn’t stop her from staying in touch with her roots. While Biles enjoyed shots and some more spirit on the island, she also put up an Instagram story watching the gymnastics performance at the Winter Cup.

Post-Winter Cup, will Simone Biles get around to participating in the Summer Olympics 2024?

Throughout 2023, Biles has teased her appearance at the upcoming Paris Olympics. Fans have been debating her participation for the longest time, with most wanting her to redeem herself. And while she seems enthusiastic about the sport once again, things are looking uncertain.

In an interview, she revealed that while she would’ve loved to return to the vault, it depended on the Olympic committee’s final decision. So far, the official Olympics’ social media has hinted at her appearance with her photo on a Paris Olympics poster. But only time will tell if she’ll be able to make it.