Simone Biles is set to make 2024 a golden year, not just at the Olympics but also for her country. After headlining the Gold Over America Tour following Team USA’s silver medal win at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, Biles is gearing up for an even more spectacular 2.0 version of the tour. During the first edition of the tour in 2021, Biles faced immense personal challenges.

Despite withdrawing from the team finals at the Tokyo Olympics due to the infamous Twisties and enduring a tumultuous time, Biles captivated fans across the country with 35 shows in various cities. As we look forward to the 2024 Gold Over America Tour and Team USA gymnasts’s anticipated success at the Paris Olympics, let’s reflect on how Simone Biles showed her ‘Never Quit’ attitude during the inaugural 2021 edition, sidelining her trauma.

How Simone Biles put on a show despite her traumas

On the ‘Call Her Daddy’ podcast with Alex Cooper, Simone Biles shared her experience of dealing with a mental health crisis soon after returning home from the 2021 Tokyo Olympics. Not having time to take a break and address the trauma caused by the Twisties, she had to navigate through it during the first edition of the Gold Over America Tour across the country. Simone said, “The fans, the kids, beautiful. We put together an amazing production.” However, she revealed the behind-the-scenes struggle she faced before every show. After spending at least one and a half hours in therapy, Simone would then rush to get ready in just half an hour.

She described moments when she would be in tears while trying to put on her makeup before the show, highlighting the emotional strain she was under. She said, “I’d be bawling my eyes out trying to put on my makeup because I’m talking to my therapist about the Olympic experience. Put on my face. Woo, hi, Golden America. Love to see you,” showing the contrast between Simone’s private struggles and her public persona. Even though she was dealing with emotional pain, she had to quickly switch gears and put on a happy face for her fans. As we reflect on these past struggles and the growth she has experienced since the previous edition, let us anticipate what the 2024 Gold Over America Tour has in store.

What does the second edition of the Gold Over America Tour have in store?

For the 2.0  edition of the Gold Over America tour, Simone Biles is making significant changes to broaden its appeal to her fans. The tour will visit 30 cities, starting in Southern California on Sept. 17 and ending in Detroit on Nov. 3. Biles, aiming to add to her seven Olympic medals this summer in Paris, wanted to make the tour more inclusive. While the first tour focused on showcasing female gymnasts, this time they’re including male gymnasts like Fred Richard, a bronze medalist at the World Championships. Biles and Richard believe it’s crucial to show the excitement of men’s gymnastics to a wider audience.

The phenom shared, “(The men) also bring a little bit, in the best way, sex appeal.” Joining Biles are teammates Jordan Chiles and Jade Carey, along with more gymnasts to be revealed soon. But the tour isn’t just about gymnastics; it’s about having fun and celebrating the sport. Alongside gymnastics, the show will feature rhythmic gymnastics and even some SlamBall players, all aimed at making the show even more exciting. The ultimate goal is to welcome as many people as possible into the experience.

As for whether Simone Biles will continue with the tour after this year, she’s not sure yet. For now, she’s focusing on the 2024 Olympics. As we eagerly await how Simone Biles and Team USA gymnasts pave their way to Paris, we anticipate the thrilling spectacle that 2024 promises to be. As we eagerly await Simone Biles and her fellow Team USA gymnasts’ journey to the Paris Olympics podium and the 2024 Gold Over America Tour, we anticipate that 2024 will be nothing short of epic.

If there was ever a day for Simone Biles to brush off naysayers regarding her marriage to Jonathan Owens, that day is her wedding anniversary! The Olympic gymnast, 27, and the Chicago Bears player, 28 exchanged vows (twice!) in 2023. As tomorrow (6th May) marks their wedding anniversary, Biles took to Instagram to share touching reminiscences, particularly highlighting the pivotal role her mother, Nellie Biles, played in ensuring her well-being on that significant day.

Nellie Biles, Simone’s support system, despite not being her biological mother, has been by her side through every wedding preparation and life’s journey since being adopted at six. However, Simone recently revealed experiencing moments of “blackout” before her second wedding on May 6, 2024, subsequent to her initial marriage on April 22, 2023. Even though her mother initially cautioned her about the potential consequences of neglecting self-care.

Biles took to Instagram, initiating a series of stories with the announcement, “Since our wedding anniversary is tomorrow, I’m going to do a weekend throwback of some of my favorite pictures & moments from the weekend.” Among these stories, one stood out, depicting a moment where her mother’s warning echoed in her mind, as Biles recounted, “Momma Biles is probably telling me I need to eat before I black out...”

She humorously added, “Which would have been good advice about 3 hrs before this... bc I did indeed black out & miss the rest of the pool party.” This moment shows how her mom’s words still guide her, even during celebratory times.

Last month, Biles and Jonathan Owens celebrated their official first wedding anniversary. Simone took to Instagram and shared a post that began with a touching image from their civil ceremony in Houston, Texas, depicting the couple walking on a rooftop – Simone adorned in a white, layered tulle dress, and Jonathan in a tan suit. Following this picturesque moment, additional snapshots captured them strolling by a pedestrian bridge amidst autumn foliage, alongside candid portraits.

In her caption, Simone tenderly encouraged her followers, “This is your sign to marry your best friend,” expressing her excitement for the future by adding, “Happy 1st anniversary. I’m excited for many more to come. I wish I could marry you a million times more! I love you so much!” Their love appears timeless, growing stronger with each passing day. However, their love story has been nothing short of a fairy tale.

From digital connection to a love forever

Simone Biles and Jonathan Owens’ love story began with a digital connection on the dating app Raya just before the pandemic struck. Despite Owens initially being unaware of Biles’ status as a gymnastics legend, their chance encounter blossomed into a strong foundation for their relationship. The lockdown period offered them a unique opportunity to truly get to know each other, fostering a deep bond that strengthened over time as they navigated the challenges of the pandemic together. And with time their bond grew stronger, which led to the final destination-Wedding.

Then, on April 22, Biles shared the joyous news of their union with a series of photos showing her in a stunning sheer-tiered wedding gown. Captioned with a simple “I do officially Owens ,” the post captured the essence of their special day. Following their intimate courthouse ceremony, the couple opted for a lavish destination wedding in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, in May 2023. Their love story, marked by tender moments and grand celebrations, continues to inspire, showing the enduring bond between Simone Biles and Jonathan Owens.

It seems to be fate intertwined with the paths of Simone Biles and Fred Richard. On one side of the coin, Biles was bright and bubbly child, couldn’t sit still and loved spending hours flipping and twisting on the trampoline in her grandparents’ backyard. She was interested in the day-care field trip to Bannon’s Gymnastics, at the age of six, and she trained under the tutelage of her coach, Aimee Boorman. Perfecting her game gradually, it saw compete at the elite level in 2011. Conversely, 20-year-old Fred Richard, too, is pinning badges to his lapels steadily.

Likening him to Biles, Richard too had already showed an inclination at a nascent age by watching gymnasts practicing their routines and staring up in fascination, hoping to emulate them one day with his sinews. At 19 years old, he became the youngest male gymnast in U.S. history to win a bronze medal at the 2023 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships, making him the first American person of color to achieve this accomplishment. However, his love for the sport is tied to his childhood home.

Fred Richard may very well be a mirror reflection of Simone Biles

Fred Richard in an interview with Time Magazine has laid out how he got his start in the sport. His mother, Anne-Marie Richard, said, he “literally flipped out of his crib,” and also added, “He was always upside down.” A young Fred observed the gymnasts in his older sister Alexandra’s gym and was fascinated. He would imitate the moves he saw back at his parents’ house. Fred Richard said, “I tried it on my parents’ bed and landed on my head a couple of times, so my parents figured they had better put me in some classes.”

His first coach was Tom Fontecchio, who asked his parents to bring him back in a few years when he could follow instructions better. Now Richard has won the NCAA all-around title in 2024, solidifying his status as a rising star in the gymnastics world.

The realm of gymnastics is being plagued by the demon named underpayment. Ahead of the Olympics, controversies have been going wild about how the athletes need to earn a substantial amount of money. As a matter of fact, the gymnasts qualifying for the Olympics do not earn a salary, while the medal holders receive a token amount from the IOC. But amidst the chaos, the name of Cecile Landi is rising like a phoenix from the ashes.

Landi’s new deal with Georgia has indicated a possible shake-up to the underpayment issue. While it is true that Landi is earning a handsome amount, a quick comparison with the highest-paid female NCAA basketball coach will push the dynamics back to square one.

Cecile Landi pushes Georgia’s budget to increase threefold 

Cecile Landi is one of the most popular names in the US gymnastics world. Landi is famous for coaching Madison Kocian and none other than the US gymnastics queen herself, Simone Biles. The duo worked together hand in hand to help Biles attain success and also the 2018 & 2019 world titles back to back. Looking at her immense success, Georgia Gymnastics deemed fit to sign Cecile Landi as their head coach.

According to the reports, Landi has reportedly been given a contract of $340,000 annually. Georgia’s co-head coach, Ryan Roberts, secured a $265,000 deal. Such numbers have clearly indicated a positive change in the monetary dynamics of the game. For example, Georgia’s previously allocated budget for their head coaches amounted to a mere $207,000 per year. But this year, the numbers have tripled, standing at a whopping $605,000.

Apart from these, the younger gymnasts are also getting more traction from the sponsors. An upward spike of NIL deals has also made things quite interesting. Unfortunately, Cecile Landi’s salary might be a huge boost, but it still is significantly less compared to the highest-paid NCAA women’s coach.

Kim Mulkey and Dawn Staley earn big as Caitlin Clark bags NIL jackpot

Kim Mulkey earns the highest bucks when it comes to the NCAA women. Earning a staggering $3.264 million per year, the LSU Tigers’ coach is one of the most respected figures in the discipline. Likewise, South Carolina Gamecocks’ coach, Dawn Staley has been earning $2.9m annually since 2021 and has secured a whopping 7 year contract. With such names putting in their relentless efforts, women’s basketball witnessed unprecedented growth this year. Boasting an average viewership of 18.7 million, the numbers peaked during the final at 24 million.

Carrying forward the good graces, the NCAA women’s basketball saw the emergence of a star in Caitlin Clark. Clark was impressive throughout the season and has also landed herself a thumping deal with Nike, amounting to $28 million. Thus, as the NCAA’s financial ecosystem witness a surge, it is only a matter of time before gymnastics will also rake up impressive numbers to support their athletes.

The University of Georgia made a paradigm shift in collegiate gymnastics by appointing Cécile Canqueteau-Landi, Simone Biles‘ longtime coach, as co-head coach of the women’s gymnastics team. The 44-year-old French gymnastics coach, known for overseeing Biles’ medal rush at the World Champions Centre , brings extensive expertise to the college gymnastics scene.

Her distinguished career included an eighth-place finish for France at the 1996 Olympics along with notable performances at the World Championships. As the college gymnastics season gains momentum ahead of the Olympics, Cécile Landi will once again spearhead top gymnasts from the University of Georgia to greener pastures. Meanwhile, the University of Georgia opened a search for new assistants to supplement Landi’s wisdom, stirring discussion across the internet. What’s the earth shattering move going to entail?

The University of Georgia is on a roll, having more tricks up its sleeve

Georgia’s gymnastics record has been under scrutiny, with consistent last-place performances in the SEC championships and an absence from the NCAA championships since 2019. Hence, Georgia announced the recruitment of Cecile Canqueteau-Landi and Ryan Roberts as co-head coaches on April 25th, six days after former head coach Courtney Kupets Carter’s exit. Recently, a tweet from @collegegymnews_ hinted at big possibilities, “@CBoom909 spoke at length with Ryan Roberts for an upcoming story (stay tuned!); he teased this as well. “[Getting Cécile] was my first move, and you’re really going to want to see my second move. The experience level of this staff is going to be one major change from before.”

Landi’s coaching experience includes seven years as Simone Biles’ personal coach at the World Champions Centre in Spring, Texas, alongside her husband, Laurent Landi. She has also coached Olympians like Jordan Chiles and Madison Kocian. After the news, Canqueteau-Landi stressed her dedication to supporting athletes’ well-being while maximizing their greatest potential, citing her broad gymnastics experience. Upon her shift from the Biles parents owned WCC, Simone Biles’s mother, Nellie Biles said, “Her departure will certainly be felt, but her legacy will forever shape the foundation of World Champions Centre.”

Roberts has extensive experience recruiting top-tier players, having spent four years at Alabama before moving to Georgia. His resume speaks strongly, as he has landed three top-five recruiting classes, including Georgia’s No. 1 class for 2023. Lily Smith’s transition from Alabama to Georgia upon Roberts’ arrival further indicates his magnetic effect in the recruiting arena.

Simone Biles’ coach’s shared gymnastics stint

Before their current stint, Canqueteau-Landi and Roberts worked together at the World Olympic Gymnastics Academy (WOGA) in Frisco, Texas. Roberts voiced trust in Landi’s potential, saying, “I have known Cecile for years, and she is the exact person to help propel this team to greatness.” Landi and Roberts hope to bring back Georgia’s gymnastics program to prominence in the Southeastern Conference. Despite Georgia’s illustrious past, which includes ten NCAA team titles, the program is looking to reclaim its previous glory after a championship drought since 2009. Georgia’s athletic director, Josh Brooks, called them “two of the most accomplished gymnastics coaches in the sport.”

In an era of rising standards and increased competition, the University of Georgia’s coaching decisions represent a bold move toward recovering gymnastics glory. With Cécile Canqueteau-Landi and Ryan Roberts at the helm, the Bulldogs are prepared for a new era of greatness, driven by a combination of expertise and an unshakable commitment to success.

The gymnastics community was recently abuzz with speculation about Olivia Dunne’s LSU Coach Jay Clark potentially moving to the Georgia GymDogs. However, these rumors were put to rest when reports from Ajc.com confirmed Clark’s decision to remain with LSU. Meanwhile, Georgia GymDogs searched for a new coach after parting ways with Courtney Kupets Carter. In a surprising turn, Simone Biles‘ trainer, Cecile Canqueteau Landi, was appointed to the role despite her lack of previous collegiate coaching experience, as confirmed by the University of Georgia.

Salaries have long been a topic of discussion in Jay Clark’s case, particularly as he was reportedly earning significantly less than other NCAA basketball coaching legends like Dawn Staley and Kim Mulkey. With Cecile Landi stepping into the collegiate coaching arena, the question arises: Will Cecile Landi be earning more than Jay Clark?

Jay Clark vs. Cecile Landi – Who’s taking home the biggest check?

Jay Clark assumed the head coach role after Suzanne Yoculan’s retirement in 2009. Following his resignation as Georgia’s head coach on May 4, 2012, Clark transitioned to the role of gymnastics associate head coach and head of recruiting for the LSU Tigers on July 1, 2012. Recent reports suggest that the LSU administration has proposed extending Clark’s tenure for another two years, potentially until the 2027 season. Currently, Clark’s contract is slated to run through the 2025 gymnastics season, with an annual compensation of $275,000. While looking at Landi, it seems she earns more than Clark.

A former French gymnast, Cecile Landi, has transitioned into a gymnastics coach. Starting coaching at the French National Training Center, she moved to Norman, Oklahoma, at Bart Conner Gymnastics Academy. After a short period, she relocated to Texas in June 2007 to join WOGA. During her time at WOGA, Landi coached several notable gymnasts, including Alyssa Baumann, Briley Casanova, and Katelyn Ohashi, and many more.

In October 2017, she and her husband joined the coaching staff at the World Champions Centre, where they coached the legendary Simone Biles. Now, Canqueteau-Landi has taken on a new role as Georgia’s gymnastics coach, which provides her with an annual compensation of $340,000. However, the question now arises: Who is more successful?

Landi’s international success and Clark’s coaching legacy

Landi’s journey in gymnastics commenced at age 5, leading her to Marseille’s national center at 9, where she trained tirelessly at the now-defunct Club Gymnastique Saint-Giniez. Making her international debut at the 1994 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships, she later showcased her talent at the 1996 Olympics, finishing 8th with France in the qualification round.

Despite narrowly missing out on subsequent all-around finals due to competition rules, her tenacity persevered, culminating in her retirement from elite gymnastics in 1999 after multiple World and European Championship appearances.

Simone Biles can’t perform certain gymnastics moves! Kelly Clarkson pointed out recently in her talk show. However, the credit goes to Fred Richard’s joint video with the legend, made for the upcoming Gold Over America tour program. In her conversation with Fred Richard, Kelly Clarkson spoke at length regarding that video where Simone Biles and Fred Richards were trying each other’s moves. But showing that video, Fred revealed Simone Biles’ inability to emulate male gymnasts’ moves. That part was quickly picked up by Kelly Clarkson.

In his further disbursal, Fred informed Kelly that both Simone and he threw a challenge to each other by copying each other’s artistic gymnastic moves. To everyone’s awe, both standouts failed horrifically. Simone couldn’t land Fred’s cartwheeling-type moves on the floor. On the other hand, Fred Richards could not do a ditto of Simone Biles’ full stretch jump on the floor. At first, Kelly assumed that both would have effectively adapted to each other’s moves since they were playing the same sport. But upon hearing about their inability, she swiftly entered the scene to exclaim, “That actually made me feel better,” as this inability made Simone Biles and Fred Richard appear more human. But also, she had some suggestions for the all-around bronze medalist.

Kelly Clarkson suggested Fred have their practice schedule by switching the sports “as the sports go hand in hand”. However, Fred displayed his glee over this. But at the same time, he argued that it might feel like “starting from the scratch”, for Simone Biles as well. However, Fred nurtures a special interest in switching sports. In the past, he tried some. In one such case, Fred included several basketball and football players to teach them backflips. Fred did not stop there. He also accepted that he taught backflip to some singers as well. Kelly couldn’t hold her excitement after hearing such an encounter. But the question regarding the gymnastics ability of the most decorated gymnast ever in history stole the limelight in Kelly Clarkson’s talk show.

Is it true that there is still something in the gymnastics world that Simone Biles can’t touch? Well… That is not quite true. Even one of Simone’s attempted moves became the talk of the sporting world at once. The reason was its difficulty level and in the past, only a few men could attempt it.

Simone Biles once did an unthinkable that was only attempted by men in the past 

Last year at the World Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Belgium, Simone Biles successfully pulled off the gymnastic vault, Yurchenko double pike. Eventually, she became the first woman gymnast to perform it on an international platform. So, in that respect, the vault gained the name of Biles II. Furthermore, the international regulation body set a difficulty score of 6.4 for this vault – the highest difficulty score among the vaults. But what does it make so difficult?

It is mainly doing back handspring onto the vault table and lastly concluding the move with two double flips. But that makes it so difficult that only a few male gymnasts had attempted it successfully in the past. Describing the difficulty level, Simone’s personal coach, Laurent Landi, once said, “What’s scary [is], people can get hurt…You do a short landing, it can hurt your ankles. It’s very dangerous vault.” The gymnastic raconteur, Dave Lease elaborated further.

Injuries can be devastating for an athlete’s career and Ondine Achampong is currently feeling the burn of the same. The British gymnast suffered heartbreak as she was compelled to withdraw from the European Championships recently. In a saddening update for Great Britain, the 20-year-old announced that she was suffering from a severe ACL tear. Reflecting further on her condition, the Brit stated that the injury was caused due to a bar dismount in Lilleshall, England.

Such a severe injury is expected to take at least a year to heal completely. Thus, rendering her chances of competing in Paris void. Meanwhile, speaking of broken dreams, Rebeca Andrade, one of the greatest competitors of Simone Arianne Biles also suffered a similar fate. Not once, but thrice!

Rebeca Andrade’s cursed Olympic fate

Rebeca Andrade was a Brazilian gymnast, who won the World Championships thrice. She came up with one of the most superior displays in Tokyo to walk away with gold. Andrade also won the all-around silver medal, thus becoming the first Brazilian to win an Olympic medal. However, as sweet as the victory might taste, Andrade was almost forced to retire from the sport courtesy of her injuries.

Getting her dreams shattered thrice, Rebeca Andrade tore her ACL in 2015, 2017, and 2019. After her last injury, most people counted her out of the equation. But Andrade refused to give up. With the COVID-19 pandemic delaying the Olympics by a year, the opportunity fell right into Andrade’s lap. She began a very dedicated and rigorous training to qualify for Tokyo.