Simone Biles. Elsa / Getty Images
Simone Biles is geared up and eager to showcase her prowess once more.
“This journey is about redemption for us. I believe we have more to offer,” expressed Biles, 27, during a press conference late on Sunday, June 30, following the announcement of her inclusion in the U.S. women’s gymnastics team for the upcoming 2024 Paris Olympics.
Biles is one of five exceptional women who will be representing the U.S. in Paris later this month. She will be joined by Suni Lee, Jade Carey, and Jordan Chiles—her teammates from the 2020 Olympics—along with the newest addition to the team, Hezly Rivera.
During the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, Biles made the courageous decision to withdraw from several events, citing the need to prioritize her mental health and well-being. She also experienced a condition known as “the twisties,” which caused her to become disoriented while performing complex maneuvers during the competition.
Even the greatest of all time (GOAT) needs a break sometimes. Simone Biles stunned the world when she withdrew from the Tokyo Olympics, but this wasn’t her first stand for mental health advocacy. In July 2021, the four-time Olympic gold medalist stumbled while attempting a vault landing during the team final in Japan, and […]
“I know we’re more capable than what we displayed in Tokyo,” Biles affirmed. “So, this journey is about us and no one else. It’s not about proving anything to anyone else; it’s about doing it for ourselves, for our love of the sport, and for representing the U.S. We’re going to give it our all and do our very best.”
“It has to be for us because it can’t be for anybody else.” – Simone Biles#ParisOlympics x #USAGTrials24 pic.twitter.com/RF2U1dllTY
— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) July 1, 2024
Biles also shared that she remains unfazed by critics who labeled her a “quitter” and made other disparaging remarks during her health struggles at the 2020 Games.
“They still taunt me with statements like, ‘Oh, are you going to quit again?’ And if I did, what could you possibly do about it?” she said, as quoted by People. “I’ve been dealing with this for three years. But yes, they’re eagerly awaiting our downfall.”
“They’re eagerly anticipating our downfall,” she continued. “It’s unfortunate because sports haven’t witnessed athletes like we have before. We must celebrate these athletes while they’re still competing because once they’re gone, you’ll miss them.”
Simone Biles and Jonathan Owens are a power couple made in athletic heaven. The Olympic gold medalist and the NFL player, who was a Houston Texans safety at the time, met through the dating app Raya in March 2020. “I had no idea who she was,” Owens told Texas Monthly in June 2021. “I […]
Biles also revealed that her husband, Jonathan Owens, a safety for the Chicago Bears, will be cheering her on in Paris after receiving special permission to attend some of her events.
“The Bears have graciously granted him a few days off from training camp, so he’ll be there for a short while,” Biles shared, according to People.
