The United States has been a pioneer in presenting the world with some of the most exceptional gymnasts who have kept the ‘mat’ running for years. With names like Simone Biles leading the way, athletes such as MyKayla Skinner have also etched their names in the history books for their groundbreaking routines. Skinner has now become one of the most influential gymnastics figures out there, but her story of making it to the Olympic podium, which was almost on the horns of a dilemma, is one of a kind.

It was her compatriot and the queen of gymnastics, Simone Biles, who helped her in the most unexpected way possible to win her first Olympic medal. Years have passed since the incident, and the Arizona-based gymnast revisited the old happy memories and shared some inside secrets about the event.

Simone Biles sets the stage for Skinner’s Olympic dream

The 27-year-old former artistic gymnast uncovered her story in an interview with Inside Gymnastics Magazine on Sunday. She had a tumultuous run during the Tokyo Olympics qualifications when she finished fourth on vault and could not make it to the finals due to the two gymnasts per nation rule. Skinner was heartbroken, as she thought her career was over and was ready to board the flight back home as well.

To the surprise of Skinner and the whole gymnastics community, Simone Biles decided to take her name back from the vault final, which made MyKayla participate in the latter category. “Doing this for us. It’s go time, baby!” she posted for Biles on social media later.

On D-Day, Skinner came to the vault finals firing on all cylinders, as she had nothing to lose and lit the arena on fire with her spellbinding routines. After the finals were done and dusted, the Gilbert native became an overnight sensation after securing a silver in the finals, and her lifelong dream of becoming an Olympic medalist came to life in a flash. Furthermore, her qualification for the Tokyo Olympics is also a tale that needs every fan’s attention.

How she made it to the event

The gymnast was not having the best time after missing out on the Rio Olympics and two world championship events, and she came back to elite professional endeavors after her senior year at Utah. To add more to her hardships, the Olympics were also delayed due to the pandemic, and she herself was dealing with some health conditions at the time. However, she gave it all during the qualifications and secured a spot on the USA team.

The American prodigy placed fifth in the St. Louis organized Olympic trials, which earned her a spot on the team alongside her counterpart, Jade Carey. However, her dream of making it to the podium met with an upsetting end following her performance in individual medals and rotation with the team in qualifications. But she remained calm and focused until the end, and her story of winning the medal is something that needs to go out there.

Witnessing Simone Biles perform on the global stage is to behold the pinnacle of dedication and talent. Yet, amid the breathtaking flips and twists, there lies a quieter yet equally profound demonstration of support—the unwavering presence of her parents, Nellie and Ronald Biles. Despite not being her biological parents, their boundless love and encouragement for Simone are unmistakable.

Recently, as Simone Biles embarked on a well-deserved holiday with her husband Jonathan Owens, it felt like a belated honeymoon, a chance to savor the bliss they missed out on last year due to work commitments. While miles may separate Simone from her mother, their bond remains unbreakable, with her mother’s unwavering support visible even from afar.

The touching words from her mom melted hearts!

Two days ago, Simone Biles shared a heartfelt post on Instagram, featuring a series of captivating images. In one, she and her husband Jonathan Owens embraced each other. Another showcased their elegance as they posed alongside the horse, with Simone stunning in a black gown that added an extra sparkle to the scene.

The third image captured them atop the horse, their love radiating through each frame. Despite the simplicity of the caption, “in good company,” the comment that stole hearts came from Simone’s mother, expressing her maternal pride with a simple yet powerful “beautiful.” Simone Biles owes much of who she is today to her parents.

Introduced to gymnastics at the young age of six by Ronald and Nellie, they not only fostered her passion but also owned the renowned World Champions Centre, where Simone honed her skills. However, amidst Simone’s incredible achievements and the legacy of her family’s gymnastics centre, questions arise about her adoption and her biological parents.

Unveiling Simone Biles’ heart-wrenching past

Simone Biles, faced early hardships due to her biological mother’s struggles with substance abuse, leading to her frequent incarceration. In 2017, Simone shared on Dancing With the Stars that her maternal grandfather, Ronald, and his wife, Nellie, stepped in to provide the loving care she needed. At just three years old, Simone entered foster care, but she cherished the visits to her grandparents, finding solace and joy in their presence.

Eventually, her grandfather made a heartfelt gesture, inviting her to call them “Mom and Dad,” a moment that marked the beginning of a profound bond that would shape Simone’s life. To Simone, Ronald and Nellie are not just her grandparents but the loving figures who rescued her and showed her the meaning of unconditional love and kindness.

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.

Simone Biles has taught Jonathan Owens how to be a celebrity! Well, Owens might be an inevitable member of the Green Bay Packers, he was never quite accustomed to being a celebrity. While the stardom does feel great initially, along with it comes some added stress and complications. Renowned athletes can seldom step out in public without the fear of getting mobbed. And quite expectedly, Simone Biles too, faces such problems.

Being the gymnastic queen of America, Biles has a huge fan following. Fans often surround her to get her autographs and pictures. Although Owens found it hard to adapt to the changes initially, he credited his beloved wife significantly for helping him get accustomed to the changing environment.

Jonathan Owens learned to tackle fans from Simone Biles 

The noted NFL star sat down with The Pivot Podcast and spoke on a variety of subjects. At one point in their discussion, Owens reflected on how his relationship with Simone Biles had changed his life. While Jonathan Owens earns a whopping $1,010,000 average annual salary with the Green Bay Packers, his popularity was in no way similar to that of Simone Biles.

Touching upon the subject, the 28-year-old stated that Biles deals with her fans in a mature way. On the contrary, Owens admitted to being impatient and getting annoyed easily. However, giving full credit to his wife, Owens elaborated on how he helped her with his issues. He said, “She helped me transition into the spotlight because before I met her I was just a regular NFL player.”

Owens also marveled at how well Biles attended each of her fans, with a smile on her face. However, according to the NFL star, the US gymnastics icon is nice just to avoid a scene as things could easily escalate between a fan and a famous entity. As the interview went on, the Packers’ safety recalled a hilarious incident from the past.

The time when Jonathan Owens was a photographer 

Owens usually enjoys all the perks of having Simone Biles as his wife. However, sometimes, the cons can also come up unexpectedly. Reminiscing one such moment, Owens narrated an incident when the duo went out to eat at a restaurant. As soon as they had started to enjoy their sumptuous delicacies, a fan came up to Simone Biles and asked for a picture with her.

Being the nice person Biles is, she agreed, but there was a problem. Who would click the picture? Alas! The fan handed over his cell phone to Jonathan Owens and requested him to don the responsibility of a photographer. With no other option left, Owens, although unwillingly got the job done, even though he did not like it, with his mouth full of food!

Before glowing in the holiday spree in Oahu, Hawaii, Simone Biles penned a 6-word message for husband, Jonathan Owens. “Prepare to be sick of me,” the maven wife requested her husband after having a chance in the tropical climate. The next few days, the couple continued to win over relationship targets, dismissing all the doubts. Moreover, the much-needed vacation also displayed Simone Biles trying some personal favorites that were never in public before.

The equestrian love was among those relished flashes. Previously, the 26-year-old gymnast flaunted her time spent with an equine through her IG share. Now, it was time for the NFL major to accompany her.

Simone Biles proves her love on an entirely new level 

Last time, when Simone Biles made Jonathan Owens ride on an equine on the beaches of Oahu, he was full of excitement. “She got me out here on a horse”, the husband claimed. However, on March 9, Simone Biles shared a lot of occurrences from that riding tour with a satisfying tone. In five posted snaps on IG, the 7x Olympic champion kept the climate and the equine witness as she continued to add episodes in her love-outings with JO. It captioned, “in good company [emoji]”. The toned body and Hawaiian shirt – all were present in the scenes. But the moment was ameliorated with JO’s acknowledgment in the comment box: “The only person who could get me on a horse[emoji]”. 

In Oahu, the lovely duo appeared to maintain an invitation from their close peers, Keely Amelia Cartrett and her beau, Kamu Grugier-Hill. So, achieving a prized chance away from the limelight influenced Mr. and Mrs. Owens to sip the moments wholeheartedly. Their several nourishments in the places of Oahu gleefully attested to that.

One vacation, a bagful of memories to savor

An exotic love for tropical destinations keeps diluted Simone Biles from time to time. In her conversation with the Olympics. com, she disclosed her dream honeymoon destination on the French Polynesian island, Bora Bora. But the worldly engagements kept the couple far away from managing their time for such romantic endeavors. However, the usual climate of Oahu quenched some of that brewing thrust when the couple shifted there for a few days. Eventually, that let slip a few chances for Biles and JO to discover each other again.

When Simone flaunted her toned, chiseled body in an oceanic-blue bikini on an IG post clicked in Oahu, JO savored the moment by commenting, with a heart and fingers-crossed emoji. Moreover, the unspoken love was fairly present when they roamed along the coast, in a relaxed posture, caring less for courtesy. That even compelled the renowned gymnast to shift their newly formed shelter from Texas to such a scenic place. “Point me to the nearest realtor” was her indulgence. Now again, that vacation ruled the moment, giving new heights.

Having first tried gymnastics at age 6 on a day-care field trip, a peerless gymnastic career ensued for Simone Biles. Currently boasting 37 medals across Worlds and the Olympics under her belt, the 26-year-old is also popular as a mental health advocate. But this merit of hers didn’t show up suddenly. Behind it lies a life full of struggles and adjustments. Especially being a foster child, her belief system was plagued early.

Biles signed up for coach Aimee Boorman at age eight after showing exceptional progress on her first try. But as she started unlocking prowess and bagging medal after medals, something else came in the way, which necessitated a visit to the psychologist at a very tender age.

Simone Biles’ early career setback

In Spa Business 2023, Biles headlined the 4th issue of the magazine. Having competed at her first Olympic Games at age 16, the 26-year-old now understands how much importance self-belief holds. “When I was growing up and realized I had a gift for gymnastics, I was afraid of being great and would self-sabotage”, said the 7x Olympic medalist.

Though it sounds unlikely for a gymnast of measure to have a thought process like this, young Simone strived to believe in her abilities. She had to visit a psychologist to rebuild her belief system from scratch. After which, she said, “I know now that you can’t be afraid of being great or to unleash that power in your mind because you can open yourself up to so many things”

Now, navigating through popularity like a pro and also helping her husband with that, the Olympian leads a worry-free life. The voice of ‘with great power comes great responsibility’ tried to stop her endeavors. But “I’ve become a lot better at blocking out that noise“, asserts that Simone Biles will justify her GOAT title more. But the Tokyo Olympic setback played the greatest role in molding her as a person.

Biles’ transformed self, inspired the world

“After Tokyo, I was able to teach people that it’s okay not to be okay”, said the 4x Olympic gold medalist. At the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, Biles faced the hardest blow when ‘Twisties’ hit her mid-routine. After withdrawing from the competition, she said, “It’s very scary and dangerous for gymnasts and can’t be fixed overnight. It can take weeks and months.”

For two years, she has been on a hiatus until she made her comeback at the US Hydration Core Classic in 2023. “I needed to stop and sit down” was what she felt when a mental block tried to halt her career abruptly. Second year into her comeback and also the highly anticipated 2024 Paris Olympics, will she be in full spirits to sweep titles this time?

No matter how much you know about gymnastics, everyone knows Simone Biles. Known as the GOAT in the gymnastics world, she has broken countless records and currently has five skills named after her. To get a skill named after them, a gymnast must successfully land the skill in competition at a world-championship-level meet.

THE BILES ON FLOOR

The first skill she got in the rulebook, the original Biles, is a double layout with a half twist at the end on Floor Exercise.

Known as a very common college and elite-level skill, the double layout is something very few gymnasts will ever compete in. For someone like Simone Biles, this skill was simply too easy, so she added a twist to bring it to her level. She continues adding to the skill and has completed it with a front layout added at the end.

Difficulty Value: G

(Difficulty levels in gymnastics are on an alphabetical scale, with A-level skills being the easiest.

THE BILES II ON FLOOR

This skill is a triple twisting double back on Floor Exercise (two flips and 3 twists in a tucked position). She first successfully completed it in 2019, and before then, this skill had only ever previously been done by men.

Difficulty value: J

THE BILES ON BEAM

This skill is a dismount off of Balance Beam, a double twisting double back (two flips and two twists in a tucked position).

There was a lot of controversy surrounding this skill, as many people believed it should have been given a higher difficulty score. The reason USA Gymnastics gave for lowballing was because they didn’t want to encourage other people to attempt the skill without the proper training (which, in my opinion, is a terrible excuse).

Difficulty value: H

THE BILES ON VAULT

Her first vault skill is a roundoff entry with a half turn onto the vault table and two full twists off. This skill is unique because of the half turn onto the vault table, as most roundoff entry vaults continue to go backward onto the table.

Difficulty value: 6.0

(Vault skills are given a numerical difficulty value to be added to the artistry score given.)

THE BILES II ON VAULT

Her most recent mind-boggling skill, the Yurchenko double pike, was officially given the name Biles II in 2023. This skill involves a roundoff back handspring entry onto the vault and two flips off in a piked position. She was the first woman to land this skill successfully, and it’s currently the most challenging vault skill in the women’s rulebook.

Difficulty value: 6.4

The gymnastic world sang praises of “BLACK GIRL MAGIC” when Simone Biles, Rebecca Andrade, and Shilese Jones shared the podium at the 2023 World Championships. Biles earned her sixth World all-around title, while Andrade secured silver and Jones stood with bronze. At Stars Gymnastics recently, on a regular Monday, kids stood wearing brightly colored leotards while the pro gymnasts of different skin colors flipped through the air at the back.

This scene was enough proof that years of torment were finally coming to a halt. But today, Biles surfaced with another passion of hers, but there’s a twist that hints at a black podium again.

Simone Biles lauds a young cowgirl for making waves in the equestrian way

She resorted to her X handle and posted a photo of Kortnee Solomon, who made history by being the first rider of color to enter a national telecasted competition. Her caption says, “YES MA’AM. go girl go girl!!!! when I was younger I used to want to be a cowgirl so bad & someone told me there was no black cowgirls, so I hung my cowgirl hat up! LOOK NOW WAHOO! GO KORTNEE. BLACK GIRL MAGIC!!!!”. She repeated her celebrated statement “Black girl magic” again, and we could feel every bit of it. Coming back to Solomon, she came out as the sole fourth-generation cowgirl from Texas who took her skin color to great heights, defying standards, at the Bill Pickett Invitational Rodeo.

Simone Biles, the gymnastic stalwart, always had a penchant for equestrian. On one Valentine’s Day, which she celebrated with her husband in person, the couple sported rodeo-wears. Oftentimes, the 26-year-old makes headlines donning cowboy hats or Roper boots. However, this is not the first time that the Olympian stood as the strongest fort.

Biles backs athletes of color in utmost solidarity

In a Dublin events ceremony, a young black girl was denied a medal, when all of her fair-skinned teammates received one each. A video from 2022 that resurfaced in the latter half of 2023 caught the attention of several kind hearts, especially mental health advocate Simone Biles. She took to her social media handle to write, “When this video was circulating, her parents reached out. It broke my heart to see, so I sent her a little video. There is no room for racism in any sport or at all !!!!”

The young girl from Ireland may have seen a ray of hope when Biles’ video to her said, “I wanted to say I am rooting for you from here.” As the 7x Olympic medalist continues to cement her status as a benign athlete, she’s also eyeing the Paris Olympic Games. Just a matter of 4 months to catch sight of a spectacle.

The world’s most decorated gymnast, Simone Biles, made her dream of having her own national tour a reality in 2021 after announcing it in 2019. Biles is confirmed to visit Brew City Milwaukee on September 28, when she embarks on the second Gold Over America gymnastics tour, similar to the last Olympics schedule. The single show brings gymnasts together like a phantasmagoria of talents, featuring Biles alongside other national champions Shilese Jones, Melanie de Jesus dos Santos, and Fred Richard.

Officially, the Gold Over America Tour, or “GOAT,” boasts “a high-octane, action-packed experience.” Whether you’re returning after the 2021 display or awaiting to experience the unknown thrill, here’s how much you need to pay for it to view it in all its glory!

Simone Biles hosted Gold Over America Tour returns this September

Embarking on a recreational jaunt with her husband, Biles was unable to participate in the Winter Cup 2024, the season’s first qualification event for the 2024 U.S. Gymnastics Championships. However, she will be competing in the US Team Olympic gymnastics trial in June. Her next definite participation, however, is for September’s Gold Over America Tour. The ticket price starts from as low as $20, further increasing depending on the gymnasts competing, the venue, and the seat preference.

The “GOAT” tours 30 arenas across the country after the 2021 tour was a huge success, providing an intense, action-packed show. A pop concert-style event including championship adventures, physical prowess, and of course, the Gold Squad dancers, will be presented to fans. The seating nearer the floor will cost more for fans than seats toward the back of the auditorium reported ticketsmarter.com.

In addition, the championship rounds will be more expensive than the preliminary ones. Packages including all sessions range in price from $185 to $725, but do buy yours after comparing costs. Since the GOAT is farther ahead, some highlights of the last show will serve as a great appetizer.

Debut Gold Over America gymnastics tour highlight

The Gold Over America tour last visited Fiserv Forum three years back, which was seven weeks following the Summer Olympics. Olympic medallists Jade Carey, Jordan Chiles, Grace McCallum, and MyKayla Skinner from Tokyo 2020 accompanied Biles. America’s favorites at the time: Laurie Hernandez, the two-time 2016 Olympic medalist, was joined by 2008 Olympic silver medalist Chellsie Memmel accompanied her too in mirth and gaiety. Another big name was French Olympian Melanie de Jesus dos Santos.

Simone, who was 24 at the time, was evidently excited before the launch. She told Olympics.com, “I can’t believe I get to have my own tour. Seriously, a dream come true. Can’t wait to see all of the girls, meet all the fans and explore all of the cities!” Nearing her third Olympic appearance this year, Biles continues to leave her mark on the mat after winning seven Olympic medals and twenty-five World titles.