Simone Biles receives heartfelt message from Jade Carey as she goes for gold at 2024 Olympics
Sometimes even Simone Biles can use some words of encouragement.
The most decorated gymnast in U.S. history led the team to a top score of 172.296 during the qualifying round of the team gymnastics competition at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.
Biles overcame a sore ankle and the recent memory of her disappointing performance at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics to record the day’s highest scores on floor and vault.
Afterwards, she modestly wrote on Instagram that she is ‘grateful that I can do what I love’.
But teammate Jade Carey didn’t hear it.
Biles smiles after a match on the uneven bars during Sunday’s competition in Paris
Jade Carey from the United States reacts after her floor exercise performance
“You are a star,” Carey wrote to the four-time Olympic gold medalist.
Not to be outdone, Biles’ husband also joined the conversation.
“I’m gonna do great, baby,” wrote Jonathan Owens, who is preparing to begin his first season in the Chicago Bears’ secondary.
Biles, 27, is scheduled to compete in all four events of the team final despite a calf injury. Biles twisted her left calf during the warm-up for the floor exercise during qualifying on Sunday. She was still the best all-arounder with the highest scores on floor and vault.
The competition begins at 12:15 p.m. EDT at the Bercy Arena. The Americans are favorites to win gold after finishing second to Russia in 2021.
Biles’ teammate Jordan Chiles will also compete in all four events. Chiles finished fourth in the all-around during qualifying, behind Biles, Brazil’s Rebeca Andrade and 2020 Olympic champion Sunisa Lee.
Jade Carey didn’t want to hear about Simone Biles’ modesty on social media
Not to be outdone, Biles’ husband Jonathan Owens also joined the conversation
Owens (left) recently left the Packers to sign with the rival Chicago Bears
Last week, U.S. team officials considered leaving Biles off the bars in the team finals to give her a break during the Games. Instead, Biles will be in every event of the finals, when three gymnasts compete and all three scores count. Her husband, Jonathan Owens, is also expected to be there.
The Americans are the big favorites for gold after finishing second behind the Russians in Tokyo three years ago.
Biles will finish last for the U.S. on three events: vault, floor exercise and balance beam. He will finish second on the uneven bars.
Jordan Chiles, who finished fourth in the all-around in qualifying behind Biles, Brazil’s Rebeca Andrade and 2020 Olympic champion Sunisa Lee, will also compete in all four events.
Chiles, who was part of the silver medal-winning U.S. team three years ago, competes on the vault, high bar and balance beam. He finishes second on the floor exercise, behind Lee.
Lee becomes the third American on the uneven bars, her signature event. She is second on the beam and first on the floor exercise.
The only unexpected change to the lineup is on floor, where 2020 Olympic floor exercise champion Jade Carey will be seated. Carey, who will be vaulting, struggled on floor during qualifying and said afterward that she was battling an illness.
Hezly Rivera, the youngest member of the five-woman team at 16, will not compete. Rivera was part of the lineup on beam and bars during qualifying, though her scores on each event were removed from the team total.