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Ensuring spotting in gymnastics for athlete safety, the conduct has led to delivering immense support for correct orientation and positioning of athletes while landing or swiftly replicating movements. Being the unsung heroes of the sport, their relevance continues throughout, be it in the initial years of training or even the professional times. One such instance is of the most decorated American gymnast, Simone Biles taking their assistance.

Just like her, other gymnasts have many times opted for a gymnastics spotter, despite being aware of the automatic deduction of a hefty 0.05, that it carries. Let us go through the dynamic saves they have made in the past.

Every gymnast like Simone Biles acknowledges the necessity of spotters

Crediting the contribution of gymnastics spotter in the industry, one of the gymnast’s enthusiasts posted a collaborated video of them on X, to depict their utmost significance in the sport. The video captioned, “This is the best spotter save I’ve ever seen”, it also showcased various other swings and turns on the floor, bar, beam and vault routines by gymnasts, that were saved by the heroic moves of the spotters.

Thus, be it Simone Biles or the 4x NCAA Champion, Ian Gunther, the spotting fraternity has definitely revolutionized the sport and its precautionary aspects. Ian Gunther, who is an American high bar bronze medalist at the 2023 Winter Cup, also seconded the presence of gymnastics spotters. He has also published a video, a few months ago saying, “Spotters are insane!”. Viewing such renowned athletes’ appreciations for them, fans too communicated their respect for the unsung heroes.

Acknowledging the benefits of gymnastics spotters

As many renowned gymnasts have themselves been comforted by the presence of spotters during their events, fans realize their worth and commented on the high-spirited unsung heroes of the gymnastics fraternity. One of the fans declared, “I always thought gymnasts could fly… Turns out they need spotters!” The other said, “Very good teachers or support staff who don’t let their players fall.”
A fan gratified the guidance given by spotters and wrote, “Gymnastics requires spotters to ensure safety and proper form during routines, highlighting the importance of teamwork and trust in the sport.” One from the audience could not hold by to state, These are the heroes, not just the coaches.” “Spotters are the unsung heroes of gymnastics, saving us from faceplants!”, read another comment, on similar lines constructed the high-held image of the real heroes on the gymnastics mat.

Iowa Athletics is investigating the women’s gymnastics program after the team and staff raised concerns about the behavior of their head coach, Larissa Libby. She has been on paid administrative leave ever since so as to ensure a transparent and uninterrupted review of the latter issues.

The American gymnastics icon Simone Biles also fell prey to similar circumstances in the early stages of her career, and in 2021, she threw it back to the time when she was compelled to steal food from the cafeteria due to the strict rules. Apart from being one of the most decorated gymnasts in history, the athlete is also known for never backing down from expressing her convictions on things that she is sure about. The shocking news was doing the rounds on the internet, leaving the online and gymnastics communities stunned.

When Simone Biles dropped a bombshell

As per the reports from the Independent, Biles said that she used to pilfer food from the camp cafeterias because of the limited food being served to the athletes. Remembering her time at Karolyi Ranch in Texas, where she used to brush up on her gymnastics routines since the age of 12, she added that the food quantity was closely monitored, so she and the fellow athletes had to steal from the canteen. “I feel like we can’t really get in trouble for this. But, like, there would have been nights where we would, like, break into the cafeteria and go get food,” the Ohio native had said in her statement.

She also added that she never opened up to anyone about it and that the athletes used to get harassed for their weight and were misled about sustaining injuries. Furthermore, players’ bags were also searched on a daily basis for food, which speaks to the volume of strictness of the rules back then. However, in the later stages of her career, Simone Biles ate whatever she felt like eating while climbing the steps of success, one after the other.

A taste of her culinary choices

In a statement given to Women’s Health, the seven-time Olympic medalist said that she does not think much about diet and eats as per her cravings. “I do not track anything. I eat what I feel good with and try not to overeat or stuff myself because I’m always at the gym; I just eat what I know I can and should,” is what she said in her statement about food choices.

She has found a common ground between her health and food, and she has the idea of “when” and “how much,” which makes her not stress much about eating. With all that in place, Simone Biles will be appearing in her third Olympics in Paris in July, and her recent performances have built anticipation amongst the fans, and they must be impatient to see their star shining brightly on the gymnastics turf.

Jonathan Owens is not only a rich athlete now but is also giving away happiness to the kids. After having secured a whopping $4.75 million deal with the Chicago Bears, Simone Biles’ husband was spotted at a middle school giving away free tickets to the children.

Being philanthropic is in their blood and the couple makes sure to go the extra mile to get the job done. Owens recently showcased his magnanimous energy on kindred spirits in the form of children, and the world just couldn’t seem to get enough of this noble gesture.

Simone Biles is all praises for Jonathan Owens’ noble gesture

In a recent Instagram update, Jonathan Owens recorded a video standing at his old middle school, Loyola Academy. He then went on to announce that he was giving away 75 match tickets for the kids to witness the Super MotoCross World Championship. Such a gesture was immediately applauded by the US gymnast queen, Simone Biles. In the comments section of the post, Biles heaped praises on Owens and stated, “pouring your heart out to give the youth such amazing experiences🤍👏🟫”

Such a sweet gesture from Biles surely did uplift the morale of Owens. However, the power couple has numerous instances where the mutual respect between them is on display. Ahead of the Paris Olympics, the duo were spotted enjoying themselves in the pristine landscapes of Hawaii. On one occasion, Simone Biles posted a picture donning a blue bikini, which left Owens stunned. Commenting on her picture, Owens said, “Can’t get enough😫😍” 

Meanwhile, Jonathan Owens has a tendency to try to give back to society. As part of his foundation’s annual campaign, Owens recently collaborated with the Green Bay Packers to host a Turkey giveaway back in November 2023. As a matter of fact, Owens had a rough childhood. He lost his stepfather in the most dreadful manner in an incident of armed robbery. It was Owen’s mother, who held the family together and raised Owens and his siblings.

Thus, after becoming a successful NFL talent, Owens is always eager to help the ones in need. In a recent episode of Shortz on Sportz, Owens recalled an incident when a friend’s attempt to set up a football camp invoked in him an urge to set up his own foundation. And now, with Owens becoming one of the hottest prospects in the NFL, his charitable elements are more likely to be at the forefront, as was evident from his MotoCross ticket giveaway.

Two years after her emotional Tokyo Olympics exit, US superstar Simone Biles made a spectacular and dramatic return to international gymnastics at the world championships on Sunday.

The 26-year-old successfully became the first female gymnast to execute a “Yurchenko double pike vault” now renamed “Biles II” during women’s qualifying.

Her ambitious return earned her 15.266 points, far ahead of the competition.

In total, she accumulated 58.865 points at the end of the four apparatuses and took the lead in qualifying.

A 19-time world and four-time Olympic champion, Biles arrived in Japan for the 2021 Olympics as the huge favourite thanks to her four titles won five years earlier in Rio.

However, she broke down in full view of a global audience, withdrawing from most of the events.

She then explained that she was fighting against “twisties”, a temporary mental block whereby gymnasts lose their sense of where they are in the air, with the risk of injury when they land.

She returned to action at the beginning of August and demonstrated that she had lost none of her incredible level.

US’ Simone Biles competes in the balance beam during the women’s qualifying session at the 52nd FIG Artistic Gymnastics World Championships, in Antwerp, northern Belgium, on October 1, 2023. (Photo by Kenzo TRIBOUILLARD / AFP)

She won the US Classic, where she obtained the best scores on vault, floor and beam, followed by a record eighth US all-around title at the national championships.

“I think what success means to me is a little bit different than before because before everyone defined success for me, even if I had my own narrative that I wanted,” Biles told Olympics.com prior to the world championships.

“So, now, it’s just showing up, being in a good head place, having fun out there, and whatever happens, happens.”

On Sunday, she also competed on the uneven bars for 14.400 points, balance beam where she scored 14.566 and then soared on the floor exercise for a reward of 14.633.

That paved the way for her spectacular vault.

Biles and her USA team will now go for team gold on Wednesday in Antwerp.

– Chiba inspires Japan –
Meanwhile, Kenta Chiba led the way as Japan dominated the men’s team all-around qualifiers.

With 258.228 points, they are four points ahead of the United States and Britain.

They also occupy the first three places in the individual standings.

With a total of 85.799 points, Chiba finished first ahead of teammate Kazuma Kaya (85.598) and Daiki Hashimoto (85.432), the reigning Olympic and world champion in the individual all-around.

Only two competitors from each country can compete in the all-around final, so Hashimoto should have been left out.

But his team, as the regulations allow, said they preferred to retain Hashimoto at the expense of Kaya.

The floor, pommel horse, rings and high bars were also dominated by the reigning Olympic champions of each apparatus.

The qualification rounds are also used to allocate the last team places for the 2024 Paris Olympics.

The United States, Canada, Germany, Italy, Switzerland, Spain, Turkey, the Netherlands and Ukraine have secured their places joining China, Britain and Japan who were already qualified.

France, however, missed out on a berth at their own Olympics after finishing 19th in qualifying.

“We knew we had to achieve something almost perfect to qualify,” said one of the team, Jim Zona.

France also failed to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics.

The most decorated gymnast of all time is eying the Paris Olympics, but says in a new interview that “it won’t absolutely crush me” if it doesn’t happen

Accustomed to reaching new heights in gymnastics, Simone Biles had a low moment after the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

In an interview for the cover of February’s Vanity Fair, the most decorated gymnast of all time said her experience with the dreaded “twisties” — and the related mental health issues she faced — resulted in a landing far from perfect following the competition.

“I wish I could sit here and tell you it was glorious,” Biles, 26, told the magazine about her two-year hiatus from international competition. “When I took a break after 2016, I had the time of my life. I was doing anything and everything. But after 2020, it was kind of depressing until I started therapy and got help. I felt like a failure.”

She continued, “Even though I was empowering so many people and speaking out about mental health, every time I talked about my experience in Tokyo — because it obviously didn’t go the way that I had planned — it stung a little bit. But all in all, it was the best decision.”

Yet the public narrative which put Biles on a “pedestal as a mental-health advocate” didn’t sit well with the athlete.

“I was not okay with that,” she said. “If I can be a lending hand and help people, then I’ll be open, honest, and vulnerable, but you cannot stick me in front of a crowd and say, ‘Do everything she’s doing.’ ”

SInce her time away from the sport, Biles went on to find personal success away from the mat — marrying Green Bay Packers safety Jonathan Owens last spring — as she gradually mapped a course back to the floor.

In October, the superstar gymnast won her sixth all-around world championship gold in Belgium, and grabbed the record for most international gymnastics medals in the history of the sport.

With her confidence in check and the acknowledgment last year that she has overcome a fear twisting and becoming disoriented in mid-air — which was what forced her to pull out of the team competition and later, all-around events at the Tokyo Olympics — Biles is ready for the Summer Olympics, if that should come to pass.

“If I don’t make it to Paris, it won’t absolutely crush me,” she told Vanity Fair

Last summer, Biles gave a glimpse about her plans when she spoke with PEOPLE about her comeback and her possible renewed Olympic dream.

“Well, in the future, goodness, I feel like Paris is always a good topic to go to, but I think right now, I’m just going to live in the now,” Biles told PEOPLE. “I just did Classics and Championships and I’m out here competing again when I never thought I would be competing, especially back to the same level and having the same confidence.”

America’s favorite couple Simone Biles and Jonathan Owens just love to pamper each other, making their fans swoon at their chemistry. Even when things don’t go according to the plans, Biles and her man never fail to stand in each other’s corner to help them across the troubled waters.

With the former Green Bay Packers star signing up with the Chicago Bears this season, Biles took to social media to exert her happiness over the prospect of being able to meet each other more frequently. However, with the Olympics only five months away both the stars’ commitment to their respective teams is still making things difficult.

Jonathan Owens spoils Simone Biles every time

In her recent Instagram story, Biles shared her husband’s romantic side with an emotional note. “What did I do to deserve this man“, reads the caption of the post with a teary-looking emoji that perfectly captures the feelings of a surprised wife. The accompanying image shows a note from Owens along with two green Gucci packages. “Was in the neighborhood so I got you something I thought you’d like“, the note can be observed to read. “I love you so much. JO“, the NFL star didn’t forget to mention in his note either.

After Jonathan decided to leave the Wisconsin team after only one year, Biles failed to hold back on her excitement of being able to visit Illinois more easily. While some fans urged her to tone down on the celebrations, Biles refused to be swamped by the negativities. And from the looks of it, their bond has gotten only stronger than ever.

While the two are still finding it difficult to spend a lot of time together, their meetings on the go continue to come bearing unexpected gifts making each other’s day. With the duo having a major project in their hands such fleeting moments will only help them to stay motivated with eyes on the prize.

Over the last few months, Biles has been steady in sharing the progress of her lavish new mansion. In February, Biles shared snippets of how the interiors of their home in Houston were coming along adorned with stone and timber. In the recent series of IG stories, Biles also shared more work getting done on the house as she can be seen sorting through materials to find just the things she needs. With meticulous attention to detail, Simone Biles is leaving no stone unturned in crafting her dream home, ensuring every aspect of their home reflects her personal style and taste.]

 

Simone Biles and Jonathan Owens have crossed scores of multitudes from that ultimate debated, “Men are the catch” comment. Recently, the duo displayed themselves, spending their time together in Oahu, Hawaii. That almost sent Simone Biles to her initial days when she met Jonathan Owens for the first time. “When I first met him, we had a game night and a glass of wine. It just felt right,” the proud wife disbursed once. However, from JO, a lack of admission was there on the topic.

But after a lengthy gap, the GBP safety recently decided to throw some lights that once brewed commotion. This time, Jonathan held his poise minutely.

Jonathan Owens matched Simone Biles perfectly 

Jonathan Owens deliberately added some unspoken facts about his wife Simone Biles in his latest face-off with Steve Nelson’s YouTube channel. In the past, the Green Bay Packers safety repeatedly argued about his nonchalance of not knowing Simone Biles beforehand when they met for the first time. But in the latest interview, Owens admitted the down-to-earth nature of the Olympic all-around champion. “we were just going to each other’s house, and she never bragged about the magnitude of her success,” JO submitted. But that was not all.

On a praising note, the 29-year-old NFL homebody added, “Kudos to my wife” subsequently. Moreover, the discussion came to the fore as Jonathan accepted that some of his past tweets regarding gymnastics played otherwise. “they tried bringing my tweets from 2012… I was watching this with my mom like this was my first time watching gymnastics”, he confronted the staggering allegation against him. However, in the COVID period, when Simone Biles and JO met, nothing blew out of proportion as JO stated in the interview. Simone Biles nurtured the same thought as well. In one of her statements, the 26-year-old gymnast went into a romantic roller coaster to unlid the initial romantics between her and JO.

Shilese Jones has emerged as a potential rival of Simone Biles, yet she is all praises for her. While Biles is still the undisputed queen of gymnastics, Jones is following her in hot pursuit. However, as it stands, the rivalry seems to be a healthy one where each of the two athletes is pushing the other one towards glory.

In what was a great gesture from the duo, Biles and Jones recently joined hands to headline the GOLD OVER AMERICA TOUR, much to the delight of their fans. Nonetheless, Shilese Jones’ admiration for Simone Biles seems to be dating a long way back. Much before they paired up together, Jones was already heaping tons of praises on Simone Biles.

Shilese Jones and Simone Biles are kindred spirits

Shilese Jones almost came from behind to upset Simone Biles at the 2023 Artistic Gymnastics Championships. However, Biles kept her cool and walked away with the victory. Now when it’s time for Shilese Jones to share the mat with Biles, it appears that she is already a big fan. Speaking to Spot Gym a month ago, Jones opened up on her thoughts about the gymnastics queen. She said, “She’s an amazing sport…she’s had so many accomplishments the World Championships being one of them…super super sweet.” 

Jones elaborated on the fact that how a senior gymnast like Simone Biles helps everyone around to get motivated. The 21-year-old also pointed out that Biles is someone that she looks up to for inspiration and the competition between them helps her to push her limits. She also spoke about how Biles has battled with her mental health issues and has bounced back like a promulgator.

The emerging gymnast also stressed the fact that having someone go out there and potentially secure the win for your team is a huge morale boost for everyone. However, moving on, Jones also reflected on her pride and where the US stands on the gymnastics map compared to the world.

Shilese Jones foresees a superior US gymnastics realm

Continuing with her interview, Jones stated that she values her accomplishments and does not get fazed by the occasional failures. She said, “Gymnastics is a super tough sports…whatever happens I’m super proud of myself.” Jones also stressed the fact that she ensures she gives her 100% every time and does not leave anything off the table.

Jones also spoke about how the US had a strong forte when it comes to vaults and floor routines. However, she commented that while other countries like the Russia and China might be a bit ahead in bars; the US is also striving hard to better itself in every aspect of gymnastics. Will team USA emerge to be the de facto tour de force in the behemoth games ahead?

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.