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Ledecky, winner of 10 Olympic medals and Biles, rated the top woman gymnast of all-time, are only two of 66 Olympic champions and 250 returning Olympians in a powerhouse US squad named on Wednesday.

Gymnast Simone Biles and swimmer Katie Ledecky headline a 592- member US Olympic team that will again be targeting the top of the medals table at the Paris Games starting this month.

edecky, winner of 10 Olympic medals and Biles, rated the top woman gymnast of all-time, are only two of 66 Olympic champions and 250 returning Olympians in a powerhouse US squad named on Wednesday.

At the Tokyo Olympics, the US won 39 gold, one more than China, and returned home with a Games best 113 medals in total.

“These remarkable 592 athletes of Team USA have demonstrated unparalleled dedication and passion in their pursuit of excellence on their road to earning a place on the 2024 US Olympic Team and representing the United States in Paris,” said Rocky Harris, USOPC chief of sport and athlete services.

“This summer, Team USA athletes will amaze us with extraordinary talent and indomitable spirit – and they will undoubtedly inspire the next generation.”

Three athletes, Diana Taurasi (basketball), Steffen Peters (equestrian) and McLain Ward (equestrian) will be appearing in their fifth Olympics while flamboyant sprinter Sha’Carri Richardson and breaker Logan “Logistx” Edra are high-profile Games debutants.

The US roster consists of 314 females and 278 males, marking the fourth consecutive Games the US has sent more women than men to the Olympics.

There are at least six sets of siblings in the squad, including badminton twins Annie and Kerry Xu while gymnast Hezly Rivera is the youngest at 16 and equestrian Peters the oldest at 59.

The US will be represented in 44 sports at the Paris Games which begin on July 26 and run until August 11.

Simone Biles has issued a thinly-veiled swipe at MyKayla Skinner after her ex-USA teammate criticized the 2024 Olympic gymnastics roster for not having ‘work ethic’.

Skinner, who won a silver medal on vault at the 2020 Games in Tokyo after stepping in for Biles, took aim at the Team USA athletes selected to represent the country in Paris this summer in a now-deleted video on YouTube.

‘Besides Simone, I feel like the talent and the depth just isn’t like what it used to be,’ the 27-year-old said.

Along with Biles, current all-around Olympic champion Suni Lee is on the 2024 roster, with Jade Carey, Jordan Chiles and Hezly Rivera making up the rest of the five-woman team.

‘The girls just don’t have the work ethic,’ Skinner continued before referencing the US Center for SafeSport – a non-profit organization set up to reduce sexual abuse of minors and athletes in US Olympic sports.

‘And it’s hard too because of SafeSport. Like, coaches can’t get on athletes and they have to be really careful what they say.

‘Which, in some ways, is really good. But at the same time, to get to where you need to be in gymnastics you do have to be, I feel like, a little aggressive and a little intense.’

Skinner’s comments sparked outrage on social media before she released an apology, insisting her words were taken out of context.

However, while she didn’t mention her by name, Biles has appeared to fire back at her former teammate in a post on Threads.

The four-time Olympic gold medalist wrote: ‘not everyone needs a mic and a platform’.

Biles and Skinner have known each other for quite some time after both representing USA at the 2014 World Championships in Nanning.

They also both picked up Olympic medals in Tokyo seven years later despite Biles withdrawing from several events with a case of the ‘twisties’ – a mental block that that sees a gymnast lose control of their body during a twisting skill in midair.

Amid the backlash over her recent comments, Skinner said in an Instagram video last week: ‘I feel like a lot of you guys had misinterpreted or misunderstood exactly what I was meaning or had said.

‘A lot of the stuff that I was talking about wasn’t always necessarily about the current team, because I love and support all the girls that made it and I’m so proud of them.

‘It was more about going back into my own gym and the work ethic is different compared to when we were doing gymnastics in the Marta [Karolyi] era. And I’m not sticking up for Marta or saying what she did was good, I’m just saying it was different.’

Alex Pereira has a big fan in heavyweight boxing star Anthony Joshua.

Joshua took time out of his weekend to lavish some praise on the UFC light heavyweight champion, tweeting that Pereira should compete in boxing someday. Pereira has become known for his fearsome, one-touch knockout power, which has carried him to world championships in multiple divisions in MMA and kickboxing.

An appreciative Pereira responded to Joshua, asking him who he thinks he should box.

See the social media exchange below.

“I’m honored you think so,” Pereira wrote in response to Joshua’s compliment. “It’s always been my dream, I’m 37 I cannot make a career in it so who do you recommend I fight?”

Pereira is no stranger to competing in the squared circle, having been a standout kickboxer for years before making his UFC debut in late 2021. He also has one boxing match on his résumé from June 2017, a third-round TKO win.

In his most recent outing, Pereira scored a second win over Jiri Prochazka, defeating his rival via second-round TKO to successfully defend his light heavyweight title in the main event of UFC 303. Nine of Pereira’s 11 MMA wins have come by KO/TKO.

Joshua’s boxing career continues to chug along as he has won four straight fights. This September, he has the chance to become a heavyweight champion again when he fights Daniel Dubois for an IBF title recently vacated by Oleksandr Usyk.

Simone Biles is surprised with husband Jonathan Owens’ latest heartwarming gesture and it will surely melt everyone’s heart.

Simone Biles is all set to represent Team USA for the upcoming Olympics, scheduled to take place later this month in Paris. Her husband, Jonathan Owens, is cheering the gymnastics queen on every step, offering her unwavering support.

Owens has already taken some time off from his training camp with the Chicago Bears only to fly to Paris to be Biles’ biggest cheerleader. On top of that, he recently made another heartwarming gesture for the American gymnast that will surely melt everyone’s heart.

Simone Biles’ husband Jonathan Owens’ heartwarming gesture ahead of Olympics

Simone Biles’ heart melted over her husband’s latest display of affection. She quickly went on to share an Instagram story, showing her husband’s new tattoo, and also captioned it with a few emojis. The tattoo in her story shows a cursive “S” on Owens’ left ring finger, which is the initial of Biles’ first name.

This sweet gesture from the Bear’s safety comes days before Biles’ Olympics participation to demonstrate to his wife some love and support. The 27-year-old got automatic qualification for the Paris Olympics after her strong showing at the U.S. Olympic gymnastics trials.

A few days ago, Owens also shared an Instagram story, congratulating Biles for her third trip to the Olympics and expressing how proud he is of her. Moreover, he confirmed that he will be joining the four-time gold medalist for her upcoming tournament.

Simone Biles

Owens has already taken some time off from his training camp with the Chicago Bears only to fly to Paris to be Biles’ biggest cheerleader. On top of that, he recently made another heartwarming gesture for the American gymnast that will surely melt everyone’s heart.

Simone Biles’ husband Jonathan Owens’ heartwarming gesture ahead of Olympics

Simone Biles’ heart melted over her husband’s latest display of affection. She quickly went on to share an Instagram story, showing her husband’s new tattoo, and also captioned it with a few emojis. The tattoo in her story shows a cursive “S” on Owens’ left ring finger, which is the initial of Biles’ first name.

This sweet gesture from the Bear’s safety comes days before Biles’ Olympics participation to demonstrate to his wife some love and support. The 27-year-old got automatic qualification for the Paris Olympics after her strong showing at the U.S. Olympic gymnastics trials.

A few days ago, Owens also shared an Instagram story, congratulating Biles for her third trip to the Olympics and expressing how proud he is of her. Moreover, he confirmed that he will be joining the four-time gold medalist for her upcoming tournament.

Nevertheless, since she is back in action now, fans can anticipate top-tier performances from Biles at the upcoming Paris Olympics.

Simone Biles and Jonathan Owens are having a rather splendid year with oodles of good news. The two have stood the test of time and shown us all what true love actually looks like. What’s even more awe-inspiring is the fact that they come in clutch for each other in times of need and distress.

At various occurrences, Jonathan Owens was seen supporting his wife with a fervent dedication, and vice versa as well. From cheering Biles after she qualified for the Paris Olympics this season and witnessing her ‘big day’ to her supporting Owens throughout his NFL season, wins, losses etc., the power couple never hesitated to address their love publicly. Recently, the dynamic duo was again seen engaged in the same shenanigans when Olympian Simone Biles was seen hailing her husband like the ardent fan she is on his Instagram post. He was seen hustling at a training camp for his team and it’s safe to say that wifey came in clutch with her regards.

Mr. and Mrs. Owens have shown up as the prominent cheerleaders for each other from time to time. One such incident left their fans in ‘awe’ when the NFL safety for the Chicago Bears, Owens, posted a video of him training for the upcoming 105th NFL season, 2024. Owens evidently posted his rigorous training video on his Instagram handle on July 6th, captioning, “Work!!!! 1% better every day #7years.” Simone Biles couldn’t help but comment. She wrote, “1% every day babe.” There have been ample incidents where the romantic duo have stood by as a rock for each other.

This was not the first time Simone Biles was seen actively praising her husband. Last year, when Jonathan was still with the Green Bay Packers, Simone stood as a mainstay for her husband. She was frequently seen on social media cheering for Mr. Owens. Simone quoted, “Love supporting you & your dreams.” The Olympian was even seen wearing a black leather jacket with “Green Bay,” showing her love and support for her husband. There have been various occurrences when not only the legendary Simone Biles but also Jonathan were seen supporting his better half. Let’s delve into those.

Simone Biles

Jonathan Owen’s heartfelt tributes to wife Simone Biles

Owens and Biles, despite their individual growth in their respective fields, are seen acknowledging the importance of growing together. Not just Biles, but Owens is also seen standing for her wife through her ebbs and flows and important days. As Simone was bound for her Paris Olympics trials, Jonathan, in spite of his busy schedule, was seen cheering Simone to the fullest. Unfortunately, Owens was unable to be there for her during her twisties incident in 2021, yet he did make up for it this year. Simone revealed that the Chicago Bears have granted Owens a couple of days off. He made full use of his downtime to shower heaps of praises to wifey and he will be en route to Paris to be by her side. The Bears probably acknowledge the fact that family is paramount and thus decide to relieve Jonathan for some days.

Owens not only witnessed Simone’s power-packed comeback but also celebrated her triumph. He summed up his out-pour of emotions and pride by writing a heartfelt tribute to his wife on social media, captioning, “No words can describe how proud of you I am baby.” He added, “Cheers to going to your third Olympic Games!!!!!! Just sounds so surreal being able to say my wife is the best to EVER do it, how did i get so lucky 😌 I love you so much 🤞🏽🤞🏽” He this with a six-image carousel. The couple hyping each other is unmatched, and we’ll catch a sliver of their admiration for each other at the mega games. Until then, stay tuned.

Now, Jonathan Owens will accompany his wife, Simone Biles all the time, literally. In the past, the couple had to stay away from each other because of their sporting engagements. That absence often made Simone Biles crave for support that she needed to keep her mental frame in place. However, now, she may feel that her husband is bearing a sign of her with him all the time.

It is because of the ‘S’ tattoo that Jonathan Owens has worn on the ring finger of his left hand. A few days ago, the couple was found to enjoy a relaxed time together on the eve of the 4th of July holiday. At that love-filled moment, Jonathan complimented his wife by the name, “Passenger Princess” as she always let him drive the car when they savor a long drive or a roaming. But now, the newly added tattoo may put an additional color on their romantic hood. Ultimately, Simone Biles celebrated such a cherished love as she shared the snap of the tattoo on her IG story with love emojis. This could make the story go even-steven. But what actually? In the past, Simone Biles donned her husband’s name in public several times.

Remember last year’s Sunday night game between the Green Bay Packers and Kansas City Chiefs on Lambeau Field? Simone made her appearance noted there, by wearing a green puffer jacket. It came out to be an epitome to support Jonathan Owens, who was on Lambeau Field, for the GBP in the safety position. The green color of the puffer jacket did not only match with GBP’s jersey, furthermore, Simone’s jacket displayed JO’s name and jersey number behind. The custom-made jacket from Athleta remained silent on that field in reality, but by its presence, it drew a lion’s share of attraction toward it.

Above all, it flaunted the proud wife cheering her husband, who reached Lambeau Field after serving a fantastic season for his NFL squad. In the meantime, Simone Biles also wore a chain on her neck that had a locket named after Jonathan in its center. Now, Jonathan Owens would be cheering similarly as he is holding his wife’s name on his ring finger. However, such a tone of love mixed with pride has remained vocal in their story.

Jonathan Owens feels immense pride in Simone Biles

This year, Simone Biles’ every gymnastics contest has framed Jonathan Owens in the stands. The 28-year-old athlete has found no lack of breath while cheering his wife throughout all those contests. Eventually, in all those games, Simone has flouted any single chance of giving up or issues with mental state. Rather, she has thumped each of her opponents while securing her third Olympic qualification, being the oldest woman gymnast in the US Olympic history. So, what is Jonathan Owens’ take now, being the spectator and husband of the achiever?

After the Minneapolis trials episode, Jonathan gathered his emotions and put those into words. While penning those words on his social media, he did not feel to be defied by his experiences on the same platform because of his ‘catch’ comment. Instead, he went full ahead, jotting, “No words can describe how proud of you i am baby 🤎 Just knowing all the work that you put in and everything that you’ve been through, and to still come back and be as dominant as ever, i was speechless”. Such an emotional show moved Jonathan Owens’ current NFL squad, the Chicago Bears as well.

The squad allowed him to take leave to support Simone Biles in Paris, despite a packed schedule for the upcoming NFL season. Now, Jonathan is keeping himself ready for the upcoming days when his wife will need him alongside while making history.

Not many gymnasts can boast of being able to pull off the dreaded Yurchenkco Double Pike, and that’s what sets Simone Biles apart from the rest of the pack. Officially named the Biles II, this move has been a bane for gymnastics stars around the world, until the Olympic gold medalist first executed it with perfection in 2021. Understandably, her loyal fans believe this singular feat is enough for Biles to be recognized as the greatest ever, and an NCAA star is in agreement.

Michigan Wolverines’ star Paul Juda secured his spot in the national team for the Paris Olympics after a stellar display at the US Gymnastics Team Trials last week. The YDP is only one weapon in his arsenal, but the sheer difficulty of the vault move makes him understand why Biles is placed in such a revered status by her peers.

In an interview with NBC Chicago from earlier today, Juda noted why Simone is truly the greatest gymnastics star of all time beyond doubt. “What’s really difficult about it is that there aren’t too many men’s athletes that do it,” the 22-year-old stated about the YDP. Subsequently, he hailed his celebrity colleague, who he will be joining on the flight to Paris. “…when you put it into perspective, there’s never been a female that’s done it until Simone, right?” said Juda, noting just how elusive the move has remained until only recently.

Simone Biles

While Paul did acknowledge that the move itself is incredibly challenging, he also seemed to make it clear bout his opinion of the country’s most decorated female gymnast ever. “…putting Simone already into her own kind of G.O.A.T category is one thing. But yeah, the vaults extremely difficult,” Paul was quoted in the interview.

While Juda had only good things to say about her and how Simone ushered in a new era by breaking the stigma about performing the YDP, let’s not forget that even she wasn’t able to exert her command over the difficult move with ease.

The YDP and Simone Biles: A tale of friction and woe

Executing this particular move has always been a tough one for Biles. While her attempts weren’t too shabby, having her coach stand nearby for safety measures always ended up in a point deduction for Simone. It was only at the Core Hydration Classic this year that the 27-year-old finally decided to go for the glory on her own and performed the Yurchenko Double Pike without her coach standing close by. The result? A perfect score and Simone once again walked out of the Hartford XL Center as the top-scorer of the tournament. This was the first time since 2021 that Simone attempted the move without Laurent Landi’s assistance and yet managed to score a stunning 15.600.

On the other hand, it was the same tournament last year where Juda debuted the move and went on to become a national sensation almost overnight for his flawless execution. With both of these stars on their way to the Paris Olympics, only time will tell if either of them will bring out the big gun from their sleeves in order to decimate the competition on the big stage.

Simone Biles is the most decorated gymnast in history and now she has made her third Olympic Games, meaning the famed gymnast will head to Paris in an attempt to capture gold for Team USA.

This victory places the 27-year-old in a distinguished group, marking her as one of the few American gymnasts to compete in three consecutive Olympic Games. The historical significance of her ongoing career is palpable after she went head-to-head with formidable talents like Suni Lee and Jordan Chiles.

The 2024 Olympic Games in Paris will begin on Friday, July 26, and run until August 11.

In the lead-up to the event, this is everything you need to know about Biles—who is widely considered the greatest gymnast of all time—before she competes.

Newsweek emailed a spokesperson for Biles for comment Friday.

Is Simone Biles Married?

Biles is married to Chicago Bears safety Jonathan Owens. After meeting on the celebrity dating app Raya, the couple began dating in 2020 and wed in March of 2023.

Simone Biles

The gymnast revealed that the Bears are granting Owens a special training camp exclusion so that he can support his wife at the Olympics.

“The Bears are actually granting him a couple of days off from training camp, so he’ll be there, yes. For just a short little time,” she told USA Today’s Nancy Armour.

Owens faced backlash last year when he said he had no idea who the gymnast was when they first met. During a December episode of The Pivot Podcast, Owens said he had never paid attention to gymnastics and was unaware of who the four-time Olympic gold winner was when Biles reached out on the app.

When host Ryan Clark asked Owens if he considered himself “the catch” in their relationship, Owens responded: “I always say that the men are the catch.” He also said that he had been “afraid to commit.”

The outrage was thick and fast but both Biles and Owens appeared to laugh off the backlash. “Unbothered,” Owens wrote in a December 22 Instagram post that included a series of photos of the couple. “Just know we locked in over here.”

Where Does Simon Biles Live?

Biles and Owens live in Houston, Texas, where Biles spent her childhood.

In August, the gymnast gave fans a glimpse inside the mansion that she and her husband were building. Taking to her Instagram story, she posted a series of photos of the unfinished project.

Per the Daily Mail, Biles uploaded content that showed the wooden frame of the lakeside structure as well as a photo of a bare-bones staircase leading to the property’s second story. In additional stories, she shared photos of the unfinished bedroom, bathroom, game room, and theater.

According to AugustMan magazine, the house is worth $2 million.

What Is Simone Bile’s Net Worth?

In 2024, Simone Biles is estimated to have a net worth of $16 million, per Celebrity Net Worth.

While an impressive sum, it shouldn’t come as a huge shock, as there are various avenues through which Biles earns her income.

When competing in the Olympics, athletes aren’t paid in the traditional sense. However, the Olympic competition committee of their respective country compensates them directly. A CNBC article from 2021 states that American contestants can earn more than $37,000 for each first-place result. U.S. Olympians have also historically benefitted from perks such as tax breaks, tuition grants, and first-rate health insurance.

Over the years Biles has also had a variety of endorsements with brands such as Nike, Athleta, SK-II, Hershey’s, Uber Eats, Kellogg’s and Beats by Dre. She also has a line of leotards and gym equipment with GK Elite, which helps boost her income.

Her 7 million-strong Instagram following provides her with various opportunities for brand-sponsored content. In the past, she has posted ads for K18 Hair, Oreo, and Core Power.

When competing in the Olympics, Biles has secured four gold medals, a silver medal, and two bronze medals. Her last gold medals came during the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics, where she captured gold medals in team, all-around, vault, and floor exercise events.

While she did not win a gold medal in the Tokyo Olympics in 2020, she did win a bronze for the balance beam and a silver for the team.

A Yurchenko double pike is one of, if not the most difficult moves for a gymnast to land.

So the fact that Simone Biles is the only female gymnast to ever land the move during a major international competition should put her in a category of her own, which is exactly what U.S. Men’s National Team gymnast Paul Juda thinks.

In an interview with NBC Chicago, Juda argued that Biles’ ability to land the YDP is what puts her head and shoulders above any other female gymnast in history.

“What’s really difficult about [the YDP] is that there aren’t too many men’s athletes that do it,” Juda said. “When you put it into perspective, there’s never been a female that’s done it until Simone, right? And so putting Simone already into her own kind of G.O.A.T category is one thing, but yeah, the vaults extremely difficult.”

The Yurchenko double pike has a difficulty score of 6.6, making it the most difficult move to complete on vault in women’s gymnastics.

It begins with a round-off onto a springboard, followed by a back handspring onto the vault that leads into two full rotations and finishes with the gymnast landing in a pike position.

But the move isn’t just difficult for women, men have a tough time landing the move as well, which is why few even try. Juda, however, is one of the men who can land it, and his firsthand knowledge of the move’s difficulty is why he believes Biles is the GOAT.

“I’ve talked to Simone before,” Juda added. “We’ve both said that it’s a bit of a scary vault. I actually had to discontinue training the vault after the World Championships to lessen harm on my elbows. It’s very, very grueling … it takes a lot of impact.”

Top seed Iga Swiatek reached the third round of the women’s singles with a tenacious straight-set win over Petra Martic on Centre Court at Wimbledon.

Croatian Martic pushed the Polish world number one in moments but lost her serve late in both sets in Swiatek’s 6-4 6-3 win.

She also needed a lengthy medical timeout for a back injury in the opening set.

Swiatek’s victory extended her formidable win streak to 21 matches.

The 23-year-old is a five-time Grand Slam winner, although she has struggled on grass in the past, and has never advanced beyond the quarter-finals at SW19.

Swiatek will face Yulia Putintseva in the third round with the Kazakh player upsetting Czech 27th seed Katerina Siniakova 6-0 4-6 6-2 earlier on day four.

Elsewhere in the women’s draw, American fifth seed Jessica Pegula became the highest-ranked casualty at this year’s singles when she was beaten by world number 42 Wang Xinyu.

The Chinese player won 6-4 6-7 (7-9) 6-1 on court three to set up a third-round tie with Britain’s Harriet Dart.

Pegula had looked in formidable form on grass, reaching the final of Eastbourne and winning her first-round tie at Wimbledon in just 49 minutes.

Caroline Garcia, the 23rd seed from France, was also knocked out, losing 6-3 3-6 6-4 to world number 97 Bernarda Pera of the United States.

Iga Swiatek

But plenty of other seeds recorded dominant straight-set wins on a wind-affected day in SW19.

Elena Rybakina, champion in 2022, beat German Laura Siegemund 6-3 3-6 6-3.

The Kazakh player will next face former world number one Caroline Wozniacki in the next round.

The Dane, 33, beat Canadian 30th seed Leylah Fernandez 6-3 2-6 7-5.

Ons Jabeur, runner-up at the past two Wimbledons, dispatched American Robin Montgomery 6-1 7-5.

The Tunisian 10th seed will take on 21st seed Elina Svitolina in the third round after the Ukrainian overcame German Jule Niemeier 6-3 6-4.

American 11th seed Danielle Collins beat Hungary’s Dalma Galfi 6-3 6-4 and will take on 20th seed Beatriz Haddad Maia next after the Brazilian benefited from a walkover.

Madison Keys, a quarter-finalist last year’s, beat China’s Wang Yafan 6-2 6-2, while 2017 French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko defeated Ukraine’s Daria Snigur 6-3 6-0.

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