The 2024 Winter Cup was set to be one of the most exciting gymnastics events, marking a firm beginning to the Olympic year. The return of celebrated names like that of Simone Biles, Gabby Douglas, and Suni Lee had the enthusiasts on their toes expecting a spectacle. However, owing to reasons of choice or circumstances unavoidable, only one of these names remains in contention.

Simone Biles’ absence from the Winter Cup has been known information since the event’s early waves. While it infused a visible void, it was Gabby Douglas and Jordan Chiles’ withdrawal later that etched a bitterness in the industry. The former cited COVID as the reason for her comeback delay while Chiles fell victim to a tweaked shoulder.  Nonetheless, despite the chaos around, it is now Suni Lee alongside 40 others who will carry the persisting excitement forward.

Suni Lee marches ahead

The stage in Louisville, Kentucky, will be the 2020 Olympic all-around champion’s first elite one in months. After being diagnosed with an ‘incurable kidney disease,’ Suni Lee had to give up on the 2023 Worlds and the Pan American Championships. While the path demanded strength to give up and to continue, the gymnast prioritized her needs to fetch to routine helping her back on the mats. Now, in doing so, the 20-year-old has touched down in Louisville.

“Hiii,” Suni Lee wrote in her recent Instagram update. The post included an image presenting a bird’s eye view of the city with L&N Stadium taking the highlighted corner. In the update that followed, the Olympian excitedly showed off her pass for the venue. And rightly so, for the 20-year-old has blazed through adversities to find hope, passion, and spirit for what her domain further holds.

The gymnast readies for the Winter Cup and beyond

It has taken a lot for Suni Lee to get out of the slump and back onto the mats. “During that time, I was honestly not doing a lot of anything good for me, I was just kind of rotting in my bed and hoping that it would all go away,” Lee told Olympics.com. Nonetheless, with the right push from her coach Jess Graba, the Olympian was able to find her way through.

At the Winter Cup, the gymnast will be taking on the bars and beams with hopes of debuting a flawless new skill. “I feel really prepared on beam. Bars… I’m feeling pretty good,” she added. Following her run at the Winter Cup, the Olympic champion will have a chance at having an element named for her. It will further be tagged along by her hopes to make it to Baku in March. The youngster who experienced light being pulled off her life months ago has finally found the sparkle.

Simone Biles had a spectacular run for the 2023 gymnastics season returning to the mats after almost two years. The 7-time Olympic gold medalist blazed through the US Classics and then the Worlds to announce her persisting dominance. Now having made that clear, Biles seems to be on a well-deserved break and more so, with NFL husband, Jonathan Owen’s off-season run.

Simone Biles has been seen catching up with friends and family well through the last months of 2023. However, the only missing piece in the gymnast’s justified pause was some vacation time with the Packers’ safety. Now with Biles’ withdrawal from the Winter Cup and Owens’ end to the NFL season, a romantic getaway seemed to tick all the right boxes for the couple.

Simone Biles teases a getaway with Jonathan Owens

About two days ago, Simone Biles took to her Instagram stories to share a quick glimpse of her tropical getaway. The update involved a walk on the beach with Owens followed by, “Ready to go on vacation again.” Following up with the news, the gymnastics icon today took to social media yet again for a quick sneak into her vacation time. The first of the stories presented an image from a plane window overlooking the ocean and a sea of green mountains below. Expressing her excitement, Biles added little heart eyes and a shy smile indicating happiness.

A couple of glasses of ice-filled drinks and a message for spectators and possibly Owens framed Simone Biles’ stories next. “Prepared to be sick of me,” the gymnast wrote, hinting at speculative vacation spam and loads of excitement. Biles seems to be keeping the destination a secret from the fans as she masked the details in the arrival update that followed. The vacation for the two comes days after Simone’s Valentine’s Day celebrations away from her husband.

A dual celebration of love

A day ahead of Valentine’s Day, Simone Biles’ updates carried moments of cherishable notes, not with Owens but with her girl gang. “Galentines,” Simone’s caption read as the post entailed glittery clicks with chocolate-dipped strawberries, pink drinks, and a mirror reading, “Girls just wanna have fun.” However, while Owens may have missed out on the glamorous party, a warming note for his better half wasn’t lost on him the next day.

“Happy Valentine’s Day to my best friend ❤️❤️ I can’t believe that it’s been 2 years since this amazing day, man does time fly. You’re my rock, I feel like I can accomplish anything as long as I have you by my side…” Owens post read. The busy couple has always been able to balance their professional and personal lives. Marking two years into their engagement, the ambitious athletes are an example of real relationship goals.

Stay tuned for more exciting updates on Simone Biles’ vacation!

With the Paris Olympics approaching fast, the qualification scenarios are getting interesting with each passing day. Likewise, the recent release of the Paris Olympics 2024 Artistic Gymnastics team draw has sent fans into a frenzy. The draws mark the beginning of the Olympic rivalry and the discussions are not stopping.

Still fresh from the glory of the 2023 Artistic Gymnastics World Championships, Simone Biles and team would look to replicate the good work. However, along with them, the men’s team would also like to set the score straight after settling for a bronze behind Japan & China.

Team USA all set for gymnastics glory

The biggest name on the list is surely Simone Biles. Not only the US, but the entire world would be looking at how Biles will fare in the upcoming games. To add to the anticipation, the recently released schedule shows that the reigning world champions US women will initiate proceedings in subdivision 2 on the beam. On the contrary, the men will commence on pommel horse which will be in subdivision 1. Starting off their journey on July 28, the US women would be keen to regain dominance after China clinched the gold in 2020.

Basking in the golden dream in the 2012 & 2016 games, the silver medal finish has somewhat tainted the untouchable aura of Team US. China too, would look to thwart the US threat similar to 2020 as they begin their quest on vault in subdivision 2. Other significant developments include Brazil commencing on Vault in Subdivision 3 and Great Britain will begin on Vault in Subdivision 1.

Shifting focus on the men’s division, champion Japan will be starting off on Vault in subdivision 2 according to the draws. Their chances in the Olympics would highly depend on last year’s overall winner, Daiki Hashimoto. The draws were held at the FIG HQ on Thursday in Lausanne, Switzerland. While the stage is now set, things are looking quite bright for the women of the US.

Team USA Women fancy their chances after a dominating World Championship in Antwerp

With an accumulated score of 167.729, the USA women recorded a historic seventh consecutive team gold at the 2023 Worlds. Expectedly, Simone Biles was again the star of the show. However, significant contributions from Leanne Wong, Joscelyn Roberson, Shi Jones, and Skye Blakely in the final meant Brazil had to settle with silver accounting for 165.530.

Such a dominant victory has sent the expectations of the fans shooting through the roof. Biles, who had a forgettable Tokyo Olympic courtesy of her “twisties” and later mental wellness issues, has vowed to make a comeback. All in all, with the Olympic bells ringing, fans will wait with bated breath to witness the glorious crownings.

Simone Biles has made history with an incredible comeback after a two-year hiatus, cementing her GOAT status by becoming the most decorated gymnast of all time. Biles competed in the World Artistic Gymnastic Championships in Belgium where she took home four gold medals bringing her to a total of 37. Geoff Bennett discussed Biles’ return to competition with Christine Brennan of USA Today.

Simone Biles has made history with an incredible comeback after a two-year hiatus, cementing her GOAT status by becoming the most decorated gymnast of all time this weekend.

Biles competed in the World Artistic Gymnastic Championships in Belgium, where she took home four gold medals. That brings her to a total of 37 medals between World Championships and the Olympics. Biles won two of those medals this weekend in the balance beam and bar events.

To discuss Biles’ return to competition, we’re joined now by Christine Brennan of USA Today.

Christine, it’s always great to see you.

So, Simone Biles is now the most decorated gymnast in history, male or female, 37 medals, as we mentioned, a whopping 27 of which are gold. Have we ever seen anything like this in any sport, especially given all that Simone Biles has overcome?

Simone Biles blazed 2023 with her return to gymnastics. She not only became the all-around world champion for the sixth time, but she also became the most decorated gymnast ever. Biles shattered numerous records throughout 2023, leaving fans captivated as she expressed her aspirations for the Paris 2024 Olympics.

However, as the Winter Cup in Louisville, Kentucky, the qualifier for the 2024 U.S. Gymnastics Championships, draws near, the gymnastics world learns that Simone Biles has opted to forego the event. Instead, the gymnastics queen has been planning vacation time with her husband, Jonathan Owens.

Simone Biles and Jonathan Owens’ vacation vibes

In a recent Instagram story, the Olympic marvel, Simone Biles, aka “Mrs. Owens,” treated her followers to glimpses of a tropical getaway with her NFL husband, Jonathan Owens. She shared a picture of Jonathan Owens strolling along a beach path, sandals in hand, enveloped by verdant palm trees.

Accompanying the serene scene, her caption read, “Ready to go on vacation again.” This post comes just days before the Winter Cup, where Simone Biles and her WCC teammates, Jordan Chiles, Zoe Miller, and many others, have opted to sit out of competition. As Biles relishes the idea of a much-deserved break after a whirlwind 2023, let us see what awaits gymnastics fans at the 2024 Winter Cup.

What to expect from the 2024 Winter Cup?

The 2024 Winter Cup, an important qualifier for the 2024 U.S. Gymnastics Championships, will take place in Louisville, Kentucky, from February 21st to February 25th, 2024. This will be the 2024 season opener for many American elite gymnasts. Nearly 40 senior women, including Olympic champions Gabby Douglas and Sunisa Lee, and even Trinity Thomas, as well as other elite gymnasts from the United States, are set to participate in the showdown. The senior women’s podium training at the Winter Cup will occur from 8:00 to 10:30 am on Friday, February 23rd.

Simone Biles is a formidable force in the gymnastics world, who has captivated fans worldwide with her extraordinary talent and record-breaking accomplishments. But how many medals does this renowned athlete have to her name, given her brilliant career? Examining Biles’ incredible path reveals a mosaic of victories and significant events that have left her mark on the annals of sports history.

Simone Biles, a 26-year-old all-around, has expanded the boundaries of gymnastics with every elegant flip and flawless landing. Notwithstanding her recent exit from the upcoming Winter Cup, she still boasts an immaculate tally of wins, via brand endorsement deals and professional overtures. The 7x Olympic medalist moonlights also as a doting wife and a par exemplary athlete. One question however lingers deep, and that is how many shiny talismans of victory does she have ensconced in her cabinet?

The Medal-lion Biles for the win

Simone Biles’ performance at her maiden Olympics in Rio 2016, made her the inexorable juggernaut she is, when she won individual gold medals in the all-around vault, and floor exercises, along with a bronze on the balance beam, marked the beginning of her journey to gymnastics stardom. With this stunning achievement, Biles entered an epochal league of her own and shot to the top of the discipline. We’d be remiss if we didn’t point out her 7 cumulative Olympic medals, out of which four are gold, one is a silver and the other’s a neat bronze, acquired during her trysts in Tokyo and Rio.

However, even though she faced obstacles that tried her fortitude, Biles continued to dominate and added medals to her collection at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. Biles managed to secure a bronze on the balancing beam and helped Team USA win the silver medal, demonstrating her resilience in the face of the odds. She made her debut in the 2013 Championships in Antwerp, where she won gold in the floor exercises and all-around, as well as silver in the vault and bronze in the beam. That’s not all this phenom embellishes to her credit though.

 Mere mortals can’t fathom the medals galore that Biles possesses

Outside of the Olympic stage, Simone Biles has left a lasting mark at the World Championships, where over her illustrious career, she has earned an astounding thirty medals. With 23 gold medals under her belt and the record for most World Championship wins ever, Biles is the most decorated gymnast in the history of the sport.

Throughout her career, Simone Biles has accumulated a staggering number of medals in both team and individual competitions. She won an Olympic gold medal in the team competition in Rio 2016. She won two golds in the often overlooked Pacific Rim Championships too, in Everett for the Team and All-around, respectively.

By taking home numerous titles at the US Championships and US Classic events, she has further solidified her reputation as a gymnastics powerhouse. She won gold in the vault, bars, beam, floor, and all-around exercises in multiple tournaments, including the 2016 and 2018 events. With each competition, Biles pushes the boundaries even further. Despite her absence from the upcoming Winter Cup, her indelible mark will be left at Paris 2024, a place where she can add additional medals to her ever-burgeoning repertoire.

The Olympic year has just announced its beginning for the US gymnastics and the excitement is greater than anyone ever expected. Starting on the 23rd of February, the 2024 Winter Cup will kick off the domestic season and three names float visibly in the industry: Simone Biles, Gabby Douglas, and Suni Lee. The three gymnastics icons have each won the Olympic all-around title, sparking speculations on the best for the path ahead.

Come Winter Cup later this week, Suni Lee and Gabby Douglas are set to leap ahead for the season with their participation. Now, with Simone Biles’ decision to stay back, an inevitable question about the former two racing ahead lingers around in the gymnastics industry.

Gabby Douglas’ determined path forward

It took Gabby Douglas seven years to focus on well-being and fetch the domain that brings along happiness for her. When she did, the Olympian ground through to the T to get back into form and ultimately make her way to the elite stages, eight years after her last step. “I didn’t want to end this sport how I did in 2016… Wanted to take a step back and work on my mental state,” she reveals. “I love gymnastics and love pushing myself… I never wanted to walk away on a bad day.” 

On the 24th of Feb, Gabby Douglas will be the oldest gymnast as she returns, trained in all four apparatuses. However, her performance on ‘uneven bars,’ the element that gave her the ‘flying squirrel’ tag, will be the one to look out for. As per the US Gymnastics website, the 2012 Olympic gold medal, is training under Nastia Liukin’s father and former coach, Valeri Liukin, who is an Olympic gold medalist himself.

With the required help, the gymnastics fame is back to conquer the element specifically weaker to the US Gymnastics: Uneven Bars. Douglas has repeatedly attained gold on the bars, inclusive of the Pacific Rim and Pan AM Championships. The industry enthusiasts thus speculate her to be a stronger contender for the team going into the Olympics in 2024., offering a tougher uphill battle to Suni Lee.

Suni Lee and the resilient mindset

The past year has been grueling and unkind for the 20-year-old gymnast, Suni Lee. Diagnosed with ‘an incurable kidney disease,’ Lee was obliged to stay off the elite mats and otherwise quite frequently. However, raising back up, the 2020 Olympic all-arounder is back for the Winter Cup with a list stretching further below. The kick off the comeback, Suni Lee will start at the Winter Cup getting her hands on the beam and the bars.

According to reports, Suni Lee is expecting to debut a new skill on bars. Following with the same, the Olympian is trying to get herself to the World Cup in Baku, 7-10 March. Participation there will allow Suni a chance to submit a new element to the gymnastics rule book. The skill known as full-twisting, layout Jaeger on the uneven bars will hold a chance to be named ‘The Lee’ if she were to execute it flawlessly.

“The whole reason we’re doing Winter Cup is so that we can go to Baku and get the skill named because Suni really wants to get that out of the way,” Coach Jess Graba states. Suni Lee reports to be working on the element for the past 2 years and feels ready as she heads into the next phase. If all were to fall in place, Olympic qualification doesn’t seem too far for Suni Lee. However, while the two have presented visible progress, Simone Biles seems to walk her own path of progress.

A possible threat to Simone Biles

Much like Suni Lee and Gabby Douglas, Simone Biles has been on a break herself for 2 years following the 2020 Olympics. Though the 7-time Olympic medalist made a triumphant return, Biles seems to be taking it slow, including her withdrawal from the Winter Cup. However, that wouldn’t mean the most decorated gymnast has given up just yet.

During the national camp earlier this month, Simone Biles presented solid routines on various apparatuses. The Olympian reportedly started on Vault with Amanar that had earlier been a part of Biles’ twisties in the 2020 routine. Further along, the gymnast’s routine also included uneven bars execution and Biles I on the floor. While the icon has been well on a path of progress, her well-being-centric, slow-paced path on elite mats may immediately prove a setback, with Gabby Douglas and Suni Lee visibly moving ahead. But the future holds the truth of its own.

Gymnastics queen Simone Biles is known for sharing several heartwarming social media posts with her fans. The 4x Olympic gold medalist is hardly ever seen making a crisis call out of frustration. However, today is one of the rare days when the reigning all-around world champion had enough.

Simone Biles has been having quite a rough time on social media. Not long ago, she had to fend off rogue fans trying to bash her husband Jonathan Owens. The gymnastics champ could be seen venting her frustration online once again. This time, however, Biles turned to her loyal fans to ask for their assistance.

Simone Biles looking for petite stores

Simone Biles took to X and added a new angst-filled tweet. The tweet carried the caption, “IM SICK & TIRED OF NOTHING FITTING……… please send me petite stores to shop at.” It turns out that the gymnastics GOAT is experiencing a lot of trouble finding good garments of her size.

The petite body of Simone Biles has never been a hindrance in her career. In turn, it has led her to win 23 world championship gold medals. But, the apparel stores don’t seem to be making clothes to fit her size. This situation stands in complete contrast to the trendy and fitting designs she sports whenever she goes out to compete.

Simone Biles’ new home with husband Jonathan Owens is getting closer to completion!

On Saturday, the Olympic gold medalist 26, gave an update on the progress of the house she and husband Owens, 26, are having built in Texas, sharing photos and clips on her Instagram Story showing the exterior, kitchen and a huge walk-in closet.

An Instagram Story photo captioned “house updates,” showed the front of Biles’ new house with scaffolding set up and large boxes labeled “cultured stone” laid out on the ground in front.

“Stucco is happening 🤯👏🏾😍,” Biles added in the caption, referring to the cement mixture being applied to the exterior of the house.

The next snap showed the stone-laying process for an exterior wall, as one side of Biles’ house was pictured partially covered with the building materials.

“This stone is EVERYTHING!!!!!!!!” the athlete wrote in reaction to the walls in a second caption.

Biles also revealed her new kitchen in further footage, which showed a space with wooden cabinets installed and an unpainted ceiling and walls. As well as close-ups of the kitchen, the gymnast also posted a wider shot that appeared to show that the kitchen sits off a much larger space with high ceilings, possibly a dining room.

Finally, Biles showed off what is set to be her walk-in closet in her home in a clip of a large room with an open closet and plenty of storage, including drawers, shelves and areas that looked set to have clothes hung in them.

“I. AM. OBSESSED,” the sports champion said of her impending new room. “I’ll never run out of room for clothes,” she added.

Biles’ house update comes after celebrating the progress on her home build with a series of posts in December. At the time, Biles posted more construction photos of the beginnings of a laundry room with sliding glass doors and drywall at the construction site.

The project update came after she previously hinted at issues with the renovation on social media the month prior.

In November, Biles stated on her Instagram Story that a 30-minute trip to the house ended up being six hours. “I thought it was going to be a 30 minute thing bc I had no clue what I was walking into,” she explained in one video posted of the home’s high ceilings.

“Called my dad for backup yesterday bc I panicked! but I’ve made so much progress & I’m so proud of myself,” Biles continued. “Jonathan will deal with the end result oops……..I hope I did it decently & thought of all the things.”

Despite previous hiccups, Biles’ latest update appears to show that her and Owens’ new home is on its way to successful completion.