5 Tickets to Paris! Simone Biles Leads U.S. Redemption Tour

01 Jul 5 Tickets to Paris! Simone Biles Leads U.S. Redemption Tour

Posted at 16:38h in 2024 Core Hydration Classic, 2024 U.S. Olympic Team Trials, 2024 Xfinity U.S. Gymnastics Championships, News & Features, Paris 2024 by Christy Sandmaier 0 Comments

Following two extraordinary, dramatic and emotional days of competition, 37-time Olympic and World Medalist Simone Biles can officially say she’s a three-time Olympian. She posted the highest score in two days of All-Around competition at the Olympic Trials to earn an automatic berth on the team, earning a combined 117.225. Biles, 27, will be the oldest female American gymnast to compete at the Olympics in 72 years and will carry an aura of greatness, anticipation and excitement into what promises to be an absolutely historic Olympic Games.

Referring to the team’s silver medal in Tokyo and the collective challenges each 2020 team member faced in their own journey there and in the lead up to the Paris Games, Biles told the media: “This is definitely our redemption tour. I feel like we all have more to give, and our Tokyo performances weren’t the best. We weren’t under the best circumstances either. But, I feel like we have a lot of weight on our shoulders to go out there and prove that we’re better athletes, we’re more mature, we’re smarter, we’re more consistent.”

More mature, smarter, more consistent. And the most decorated team to hit the Olympic floor for the U.S. women ever.

Joining Biles are reigning Olympic All-Around champion Suni Lee, Olympic floor exercise gold medalist Jade Carey, Olympic team silver medalist Jordan Chiles, and Olympic new-comer, two-time 2023 Junior World silver medalist and 2024 Winter Cup balance beam champion Hezly Rivera, who at 16-years-old is currently the youngest member of all sports in the Team USA delegation headed to the 2024 Olympic Games.

See more on the U.S. women’s journey below!

The entire USA Gymnastics delegation headed to the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, France, has been announced. Athletes are listed below by discipline.

2024 U.S. Olympic Team Presented by Xfinity

Women’s Artistic

Simone Biles — Spring, Texas/World Champions Centre
Jade Carey — Phoenix, Ariz./Oregon State University
Jordan Chiles — Vancouver, Wash./World Champions Centre
Suni Lee — St. Paul, Minn./Midwest Gymnastics Center
Hezly Rivera — Oradell, N.J./WOGA Gymnastics
Joscelyn Roberson — Texarkana, Texas/World Champions Centre*
Leanne Wong — Overland Park, Kan./University of Florida*

Men’s Artistic

Asher Hong — Tomball, Texas/Stanford University
Patrick Hoopes — Lehi, Utah/U.S. Air Force Academy^
Paul Juda — Deerfield, Ill./University of Michigan
Brody Malone — Aragon, Ga. /EVO Gymnastics
Yul Moldauer — Arvada, Colo./5280 Gymnastics^
Stephen Nedoroscik — Worcester, Mass./EVO Gymnastics
Frederick Richard — Stoughton, Mass./University of Michigan
Donnell Whittenburg — Baltimore, Md./Salto Gymnastics^
Shane Wiskus — Spring Park, Minn./EVO Gymnastics*
Khoi Young — Bowie, Md./Stanford University*

Rhythmic

Evita Griskenas — Orland Park, Ill./North Shore Rhythmic Gymnastics Center
Lili Mizuno — Northbrook, Ill./North Shore Rhythmic Gymnastics Center^

Trampoline

Nicole Ahsinger — Lafayette, La./Trampoline and Tumbling Express*
Ruben Padilla — Bluffdale, Utah/Wasatch Trampoline & Tumbling*
Aliaksei Shostak — Lafayette, La./Trampoline and Tumbling Express
Jessica Stevens — Ellicott City, Md./Fairland Gymnastics

*Denotes traveling replacement athlete
^Denotes non-traveling replacement athlete

Photos by Lloyd Smith for Inside Gymnastics magazine

SIMONE BILES

(WORLD CHAMPIONS CENTRE)

Vitals: DOB: March 14, 1997 Hometown: Spring, TX

Career Highlights:

2024 Laureus World Comeback of the Year Award
7-time Olympic Medalist
30-time World Medalist (23 gold)
9-time U.S. All-Around National Champion
First woman to win six World All-Around titles (2013-15, 2018-19, 2023)

The Storyline:

THE QUEEN IS IN THE BUILDING. There was an air surrounding Simone Biles in Antwerp. In the end, her status in the sport as the Greatest of All Time was not only secured, but rose to a level we may never again see in gymnastics. Unparalleled in her performance, and back on the world stage once again—this time on her own terms—Biles left the 2023 World Championships as a 30-time medalist, upping her own dominant game to 37 total in World and Olympic competition. It was unprecedented and historic, with the energy and emotion of the entire Championship captured as The Queen once again took her place atop the podium.

Biles first returned to the competition floor at the 2023 Core Hydration Classic in August and looked as if she never left, sending her Yurchenko double pike into the stratosphere, winning by over five points, and all-but silencing anyone who ever questioned her ability to be the absolute best in the world once again. Three weeks later at the Xfinity U.S. Gymnastics Championships, Biles looked absolutely undeniable, capturing a record eighth All-Around crown—her smile and her joy back.

Because of that and the legacy that preceded her, her All-Around quest in Antwerp was framed by the highest of global expectations and elevated to a level of excitement that only a competitor like Biles brings to the floor. In a moment seen around the world that led the capacity crowd on their feet, many in tears, Biles captured her sixth World All-Around title. It was a competition for the ages—the bar raised by Biles herself and her competitors as well.

As she hit her final pose on floor, the score was nothing more than a mere formality. There was simply an aura around Biles from the get-go, almost as if she was performing in a dream. Except this was real, complete with a standing ovation, a few tears on the podium (though she later said she had something in her eye) and once again, gold. Yes, this was Biles on her own terms. Trusting herself in a dominating and record breaking performance that may well never be matched. Heading into Paris, Biles is the frontrunner for All-Around glory at the Games, and all signs indicate she’ll once again be poised to capture the starring role. Her legacy in the sport is secure and second to none. She is the absolute best in the world and the absolute best athlete this sport has ever seen in women’s competition.

In Antwerp, her competition was about one more title, one more moment on her terms—standing centerfloor and taking her place in history once again while relishing the experience itself. “The gold medal means everything. It means strength, courage, the fight, tenacity,” she said following the All-Around. “It has been such a long journey to get back here and feel comfortable and confident to compete again. I won my first worlds here 10 years ago and now today again, so that’s really special.”

Her 2024 debut in Hartford at the Core Hydration Classic and her two-day competition in Fort Worth left no doubt she’s ready for the Games. Yes, The Queen is in the building and headed to Minneapolis and as long as her road to Paris is on her terms, no matter the outcome, she’ll be golden.

JADE CAREY

(OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY)

Vitals: DOB: May 27, 2000 Hometown: Phoenix, AZ

Career Highlights:

2024 U.S. Championships: 3rd VT; 4th FX; 7th AA
2024 Core Hydration Classic: 4th AA
2024 American Classic: 1st AA & FX; 2nd BB; 5th UB
2024 NCAA Championships: 2nd AA (T), FX (T); 3rd BB(T); 8th VT (T)
2023 U.S. Championships: 3rd VT
2023 NCAA Championships: 2nd BB (T)
2022 World Championships: 1st Team & Vault; 3rd FX
2022 U.S. Championships: 1st V; 2nd FX
2020 Olympics: 1st FX
2019 World Championships: 1st Team; 2nd V
2017 World Championships: 2nd V & FX
2017 U.S Championships: 1st V; 2nd FX

The Storyline:

There’s no question that Jade Carey is one of the best in the world on vault and floor —she has the World and Olympic medals to prove it! However, the All-Around podium, both domestically and internationally, is something that has always eluded her despite consistently being a name in the mix. In a field that is coming for five Olympic spots, Carey will hope her difficulty and unwavering consistency will propel herself in the All-Around at Trials. Carey has chosen to train both Elite and NCAA, and in 2023, didn’t have her best outing on the National scene. In 2024, it looks like pacing and building back smart has paid off across the board for Carey. She looked phenomenal at the NCAA Championships, and is looking to add in full difficulty as she builds towards Trials. At Championships, her vaults looked solid, but her floor did not outscore the other top contenders. She’ll hope her upgraded routine will score higher to help cement herself on the team.

Carey needs to focus on pacing as she has been all year and building her consistency while adding back her difficulty, confidence and bringing a little of her NCAA mentality to the floor. “I think staying in college was really the best thing for me,” she said after Classics. “I’m very relaxed in NCAA, and I’m trying to bring that into Elite as well. The routines are harder and longer, it’s just a matter of showing what I can do. Every day I’m getting better and making a step towards where I want to be and to peak at the right time.”

For more on Jade Carey, Click Here!

For our 2022 look at the women competing NCAA and Elite, Click Here!

JORDAN CHILES

(WORLD CHAMPIONS CENTRE)

Vitals: DOB: April 15, 2001 Hometown: Vancouver, WA

Career Highlights:

2024 U.S. Championships: 2nd UB, 5th AA
2024 Core Hydration Classic: 3rd AA
2023 Pan American Games: 1st Team; 2nd VT; 3rd AA; 7th UB
2023 U.S. Championships: 5th AA; 6th FX; 8th UB
2023 NCAA Championships: 1st UB & FX; 2nd AA
2022 World Championships: 1st Team; 2nd V & FX
2022 U.S. Championships: 3rd AA, UB & FX
2021 U.S. Championships: 3rd AA & V
2020 Olympics: 2nd Team

The Storyline:

“I’m that girl.” If anyone has the power to surprise and rewrite all of the headlines in Fort Worth and heading into Olympic Trials, it’s Jordan Chiles. Chiles was a bit of a late bloomer in the field of U.S All-Around talent last quad, but with 2020 Olympic team silver and World gold in 2022 on her resume, Chiles’ gymnastics and confidence was soaring to new heights. In 2023, her momentum slowed a bit. After not making the Worlds team, she went to the 2023 Pan-American Games and placed 3rd in the All-Around. She said previously that she didn’t have enough time between the 2023 NCAA and Elite seasons to feel completely comfortable and prepared for her Elite competitions. Although injuries delayed her 2024 competitive debut, everyone wondered: would the year-long break bring her back to the Jordan we saw in 2021 and 2022? Better believe it.

In Hartford, she was back and placed third, surprising perhaps everyone but herself. Allowing herself to get mad in order to get extra motivated was successful. “I go back in time to where I feel like I wasn’t seen in this sport,” she said. “I’m going to go out and show everybody I’m that Jordan.” At Championships, she didn’t hit like she did at Classics, but her bars routines were phenomenal and she showed her potential to be the second best U.S. gymnast on floor on day 2.

She told us at National Team Camp in early February that she’s ready to make her run for Paris—”I’m that Girl”—and that she’s ready to surprise once again. Clean and consistent is the name of the game for Chiles in Minneapolis, and with her Olympic teammates Simone Biles, Suni Lee, and Jade Carey all shining bright on the Elite stage, Chiles is certain to push herself even more and leave no doubt that a spot in Paris has her name written all over it.

SUNI LEE

(MIDWEST GYMNASTICS)

Vitals: DOB: March 9, 2003 Hometown: St. Paul, MN

Career Highlights:

2024 U.S. Championships: 2nd BB; 4th AA, UB
2024 Core Hydration Classic: 1st BB
2022 NCAA Championships: 1st BB; 2nd AA
2020 Olympics: All-Around Champion; 2nd Team & 3rd UB
2021 U.S. Championships: 2nd All-Around & BB; 1st UB
2019 World Championships: 1st Team; 3rd UB; 2nd FX
2019 U.S. Championships: 2nd AA & FX; 1st UB

The Storyline:

After all that 2020 Olympic Champ Suni Lee has endured over the last year, it’s remarkable that she’s even back on the competition floor and on a path to challenge for a spot on the 2024 Olympic team. After a kidney illness cut her NCAA season short at Auburn last year, Lee has been on a rollercoaster of a ride. At one point, swelling from her illness was so bad that the uneven bars great couldn’t even get in her grips to chalk up. She also found herself battling not only the physical ailments of the illness, but the mental anguish that comes along with it that resulted in some depression. Just to make it back to a competitive level is an achievement. But Lee not only made it back, she learned new skills along the way, including a full-twisting Jaeger release on uneven bars that will be named for her if she completes it in a World Cup or the Olympics.

In podium training at Winter Cup, Lee was looking confident and sharp as she landed skill after skill and did it with her typical polish and style. But in competition, she struggled. Two falls on uneven bars followed by another on beam left the Olympic Champ looking temporarily dismayed and audiences stunned. We wished everyone could have seen her in podium training to know just how sharp she actually looked and to know that the potential to make this 2024 Olympic team is absolutely, without a doubt, a real possibility.

But the day reminded us that even the greatest athletes in the world are, indeed, human. How she responds is the true mark of a champion and Lee is already putting the meet into perspective and moving forward.

“It obviously wasn’t what I wanted, but in all honesty, I think that it’s good that it happened here rather than somewhere else. Like, you can’t get anywhere without failing,” she said.

For athletes of all ages and levels, it was an important reminder. We all have bad days, even the defending Olympic Champion. But how we brush ourselves off and pick up the pieces is how we’ll make our mark—a sentiment echoed by her coach Jess Graba following the meet, who noted that even an Olympic Champion makes mistakes. It’s what you do with those mistakes that count, and Suni took them as fuel.

Following the American Classic, where she competed vault (13.250) and beam (meet high 14.300), she headed to Hartford and reminded us all once again that not only can she make this team, she could all but have her place locked with a strong showing in Fort Worth. Competing on vault, beam and floor, she looked confident and strong, winning beam and ready to look ahead to Fort Worth on the road to her second Olympic Games. She knows there’s work to be done and is confident that she’s on the right track.

“I think I’m starting to build a lot more confidence on beam, which is super important because that’s always going to be one of the events that it comes down to for me,” she said after Classics. “Floor, [I’m] feeling good about that. Obviously, it’s not the routine that I want to do for the rest of the season, but it’s good to go out there and compete a full routine because it’s been so long … Obviously, I want to be 100% right now doing everything 100%, working on my consistency. But like I said, my coaches have been really supportive in just trying to help me with my mental and not get too ahead of myself.”

At Championships, Lee made a case for herself especially on beam, outscoring Simone Biles on Day 2. She brought back her Yurchenko double full on vault and performed two solid floor routines. On bars, she competed a downgraded routine that she was able to easily hit for scores in the mid 14s. She plans on upgrading her routine for Trials, and if she’s consistent with her more difficult routine, Lee will prove she deserves a ticket to Paris and could put herself in position to contend for a medal on the event.

HEZLY RIVERA

(WOGA)

Vitals: DOB: June 4, 2008 Hometown: Oradell, NJ

Career Highlights:

2024 U.S. Championships: 4th BB; 5th UB; 6th AA
2024 Winter Cup: 1st BB (T); 3rd AA, FX
2024 Jesolo Trophy: 3rd Team; 4th BB; 9th AA
2023 Junior World Championships: 2nd Team, FX; 8th UB
2023 U.S. Gymnastics Championships: 1st AA, UB, BB; 5th VT (Jr. Div.)
2023 Winter Cup – 1st AA, BB, FX; 4th VT; 7th UB
2022 DTB Pokal Cup – 1st Team

The Storyline:

As the 2023 Junior U.S. All-Around Champion, Rivera has had the potential for a break-out season as a first year senior, but up until Championships, she had problems with consistency. In Fort Worth, Rivera hit eight for eight, something only she and Blakely accomplished out of the top eight finishers in the All-Around. With stunning and difficult bars and beam routines, Rivera’s Olympic stock is up from Classics and she is certainly in contention for an alternate spot and maybe even an Olympic team spot if she continues placing high in the All-Around.

FLASHBACK TO ANTWERP – THE DYNASTY

2011 TOKYO.

2014 NANNING

2015 GLASGOW.

2018 DOHA.

2019 STUTTGART

2022 LIVERPOOL

2023 ANTWERP

Nothing sweeter than seven! With depth and determination on their side, Team USA was golden once again at the World Championships in 2023, winning a record seventh consecutive World team title in Antwerp (167.729)—breaking its tie with the Chinese men, who won six in a row from 2003 to 2014. Brazil won the silver (165.530), its first ever team medal at a World Championships, and France took the bronze (164.064), the country’s first World team medal in 73 years.

The evening got off to a dramatic start when first-year World team member Joscelyn Roberson went down on her Cheng in the warm-up just moments before the competition was set to begin. Getting the call as her replacement on both vault and floor was three-time World medalist Leanne Wong, who was quick to jump in and get the team a respectable score (14.066) with her clean Yurchenko double twist. Post-meet Wong described the moment as “chaotic” but she knew she was prepared.

“I definitely couldn’t do it without my teammates and these coaches who kept reminding me that I was trained for this and that I could do this,” Wong said.

Shilese Jones added a 14.100, while Simone Biles opted for a Cheng instead of the Yurchenko double pike for a rotation high score of 14.800. Uneven bars was solid in the second rotation, with Skye Blakely opening the rotation with a 14.166. Biles followed with a 14.466 and Jones rounded things out with a 14.633! If the team showed any signs of nerves it came in the third rotation on beam. Wong, who was in the leadoff spot, came off on her aerial when she missed her foot, and then downgraded her dismount to just a double twist. However, Jones (13.600) and Biles (14.300) came through to save the rotation with solid, difficult sets they made look easy.

The final rotation was arguably one of the most thrilling we’ve ever seen in Worlds history, with the silver and bronze medals up for grabs and a shot at history on the line. Biles locked in the United States’ historic seventh consecutive gold medal with perhaps one of the best routines she’s ever done in an international competition (15.166)—staying in bounds and sticking nearly every landing.

“Each and every time you are crowned World Champion it feels a little bit different,” Biles said. “I’m still surprised I’m still going. I’m 26, I’m a little bit older. It feels just as good as the first one just because we broke records, we came together, and we had fight.”