Video: Simone Biles Throws Out 1st Pitch at Astros Game After 2024 Paris Olympics
Aug 31, 2024
PARIS, FRANCE - AUGUST 05: Simone Biles of the USA before the start of the Artistic Gymnastics Women's Balance Beam Finals at the Olympic Games in the Bercy Arena, Paris, France, on August 5th, 2024. (Photo by Simon Bruty/Anychance/Getty Images)
The Houston Astros had a special guest at Minute Maid Park to throw out the first pitch on Friday.
Simone Biles, fresh off a phenomenal performance at the Paris Olympics earlier this month, tossed out the first pitch ahead of the Astros' matchup against the Kansas City Royals.
Biles is from nearby Spring, Texas, a suburb of Houston, so she had a hometown crowd as she threw out the first pitch.
Biles is coming off an Olympics that saw her claim gold medals in team, all-around and vault while picking up a silver medal in floor exercise. She has now tallied seven gold medals, two silver and two bronze medals since her first Olympics in 2016.
While Biles hasn't confirmed whether she will compete in the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028, she left the door open.
"Never say never. The next Olympics is at home, so you just never know," Biles said earlier this month, per USA Today'sNancy Armour. "But I am getting really old."
The Astros will look to have similar success to Biles for the rest of the season and into the playoffs. Houston currently sits at the top of the AL West at 72-62 and can pick up some momentum with a big series against the Royals this weekend.
Simone Biles Posts Photos with Her Olympic Medals: '6 Year Old Me Would Be Proud'
Aug 28, 2024
PARIS, FRANCE - AUGUST 05: Simone Biles of the USA before the start of the Artistic Gymnastics Women's Balance Beam Finals at the Olympic Games in the Bercy Arena, Paris, France, on August 5th, 2024. (Photo by Simon Bruty/Anychance/Getty Images)
Simone Biles is still basking in the golden glow of her historic performance at the 2024 Olympics.
The U.S. gymnastics superstar posted a series of pictures on X with all of her Olympic medals, along with the caption: "6 year old me would be proud" and three emojis.
Biles' 11 Olympic medals are the most ever by a U.S. gymnast. She is tied with Věra Čáslavská of Czechoslovakia as the second-most decorated female gymnast in Olympic history.
The Paris Games saw Biles add four medals to her career total. She won gold in the team event, individual all-around and vault.
This marks the second Olympics that Biles earned at least four medals. She won five at the 2016 Games in Rio de Janeiro.
At 27 years old, Biles became the oldest American gymnast to compete at the Olympics since 1952. She hasn't ruled out competing at the 2028 Games in Los Angeles, but admitted age is starting to catch up to her.
"Never say never," Biles told reporters after wrapping up her run in Paris. "The next Olympics is at home, so you just never know, but I am getting really old."
Regardless of what the future holds for Biles, she has already secured her spot on the short list of best athletes of all time.
If anyone doubts that, Biles has the pictures with the hardware to prove it.
Simone Biles Wants 'Justice' for Jordan Chiles Amid Olympic Medal Controversy
Aug 26, 2024
PARIS, FRANCE: AUGUST 05: Jordan Chiles of the United States is congratulated by teammate Simone Biles (L) of the United States after dramatically claiming the bronze medal on a score change after the Women's Floor Final during the Artistic Gymnastics competition at the Bercy Arena during the Paris 2024 Summer Olympic Games on August 5th, 2024 in Paris, France. (Photo by Mehmet Murat Onel/Anadolu via Getty Images)
Simone Biles is joining the fight to restore Jordan Chiles' bronze medal.
"We saw what you did," Biles told Anna Lazarus Caplan and Janine Rubenstein of PEOPLE regarding Chiles' performance. "And it's an unfortunate circumstance because something like this has never happened before and it's truly a shame, but we wish all three girls could get the medal and unfortunately in gymnastics that's not the case."
"Do we think they did the correct procedures to come to this ruling? No," she added. "That's really why we want that justice for Jordan and why we're going to keep supporting her and uplifting her."
Chiles was originally scored in fifth place in the individual floor exercise, but USA Gymnastics coach Cecile Landi filed an inquiry with the judges based on Chiles' difficulty score. The judges then revised the score by 0.1 points, bumping her score to 13.766, which was enough to catapult Chiles into the bronze medal over Romanian gymnasts Ana Bǎrbosu and Sabrina Maneca-Voinea, who were tied at 13.700.
The Romanian Gymnastics Federation, Bǎrbosu and Maneca-Voinea each challenged that ruling with the Court of Arbitration for Sport, arguing that Landi didn't file her inquiry within the required time. Such an inquiry must be filed within a minute of the score being shown. They argued the inquiry was made four seconds past the deadline.
The CAS upheld the Romanians' challenge and awarded the bronze medal to Bǎrbosu.
"I have no words. This decision feels unjust and comes as a significant blow, not just to me, but to everyone who has championed my journey," Chiles wrote in a statement on Instagram at the time. "To add to the heartbreak, the unprompted racially driven attacks on social media are wrong and extremely hurtful. I've poured my heart and soul into this sport and I am so proud to represent my culture and my country."
USA Gymnastics had its appeal denied by the CAS and has said it would continue to explore overturning the ruling with the Swiss Federal Tribunal. It sounds as though Biles will do everything in her power to aid in that fight.
USA's Stephen Nedoroscik to Compete on 'DWTS' After Viral Pommel Horse in Olympics
Aug 22, 2024
Gymnastics: 2024 Summer Olympics: Team USA Stephen Nedoroscik in action, posing with the Bronze medal following the Men's Pommel Horse final at Bercy Arena.
Paris, France 8/3/2024
CREDIT: Erick W. Rasco (Photo by Eric W. Rasco/Sports Illustrated via Getty Images)
(Set Number: X164569 TK1)
After earning two bronze medals at the Paris Olympics this summer, U.S. gymnastics pommel horse specialist Stephen Nedoroscik is set to take his talents to the dancefloor.
On Thursday's episode of Good Morning America, Nedoroscik was announced as the first contestant for the 33rd season of Dancing with the Stars.
Nedoroscik said on GMA that he plans to bring some of his pommel horse moves to the competition in the ballroom.
"I want to bring some of that gymnastics -- maybe a backflip or handstand. I want to have fun with it," he said.
The 25-year-old's score on the pommel horse propelled Team USA to a third-place finish in the team competition. He also earned the bronze in the individual pommel horse competition, making him the first American men's gymnast to medal in the event at the Olympics in eight years. His performance helped turn him into one of the biggest stars of the Paris Games.
Nedoroscik wears corrective glasses for the eye condition strabismus, which is a misalignment of the eyes that can cause vision problems. He was asked on Thursday if he plans to keep his glasses on for his dance routines.
"I might have fun with it -- I'm scared they'll fly off ... maybe we could do a gadget, keep them on," he said. "Maybe a new pair of glasses, match the theme, right?"
The full season 33 cast of Dancing with the Stars will be revealed on Sept. 4 and the season will premiere on Sept. 17.
Simone Biles Reacts to Netflix Show's Release Date Documenting 2024 Olympics Journey
Aug 21, 2024
Simone Biles of USA wins silver during the Women's Artistic Gymnastics floor final on Day 10 of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 at Bercy Arena on August 5, 2024 in Paris, France. (Photo by Ulrik Pedersen/DeFodi Images via Getty Images)
Legendary gymnast Simone Biles added to her legacy with a stellar showing at the Paris Olympics this summer, and her journey through the Games will be the subject of a new documentary on Netflix.
The streaming giant announced on Wednesday that Simone Biles Rising: Part Two will be released on Oct. 25. The announcement featured a trailer with Biles doing a parody of the Netflix romantic comedy-drama series Emily in Paris:
At the Paris Olympics, Biles earned gold medals in the team competition, the individual all-around and the individual vault while also taking a silver medal in the individual floor exercise. She now has a total of 11 Olympic medals in her storied career, the most ever by an American gymnast and tied for the second-most all-time.
The first part of Simone Biles Rising was released last month and documented the 27-year-old's journey back to the Olympics after she withdrew from the Tokyo Games in 2021 due to a need to address her mental health.
Fans will certainly be excited to tune in and watch Biles' triumphant return to the world stage in the second part of the documentary this fall.
Simone Biles Jokes About Viral Video Meme: 'I Actually Do This All the Time'
Aug 20, 2024
PARIS, FRANCE - AUGUST 05: (Editors Note: A digital filter has been applied) Simone Biles of United States focused during the Women's Balance Beam Final on day ten of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 at Bercy Arena on August 5, 2024 in Paris, France. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)
In between winning gold medals at the Olympics in Paris earlier this month, star gymnast Simone Biles gave fans an all-time meme.
While warming up for an event, Biles gave the camera a glance that took the internet by storm. A few weeks removed from the Olympics, Biles joked that the glance she gave the camera in Paris is something she does "all the time."
It's unclear whether the glare is something Biles does often, but she has certainly embraced the meme.
Biles is coming off another outstanding performance at the Olympics, winning gold in team, all-around and vault along with a silver medal in floor exercise. After Paris, Biles' gold medal count is now up to seven while her total medal count is at 11.
Biles has not yet confirmed whether she will compete in the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028, but she left the door open for another gold-medal run.
"Never say never. The next Olympics is at home, so you just never know," Biles said, per NBC Sports' Ashlee Buhler. But I am getting really old."
Even if she doesn't compete, Biles has had a legendary career, and now she has a legendary meme as well.
Photo: Simone Biles Surprised with 'Olympic F--king Champion' on Menu at Restaurant
Aug 19, 2024
PARIS, FRANCE - AUGUST 03: Gold medalist Simone Biles of Team United States celebrates on the podium during the medal ceremony for the Artistic Gymnastics Women's Vault Final on day eight of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 at Bercy Arena on August 03, 2024 in Paris, France. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)
Being an Olympic gold medalist is something you can dine out on for the rest of your life, quite literally in the case of Simone Biles.
Biles recently visited the Chicago restaurant Maple & Ash with her husband, Chicago Bears safety Jonathan Owens, and the establishment gave her a menu reading "Olympic F--king Champion," per Us Weekly's Ryan Hudgins. She showed off the menu on social media:
The 27-year-old was in the Windy City to watch Owens in his team's 27-3 NFL preseason win over the Cincinnati Bengals. He finished with four tackles in the victory.
Biles is a little over a week removed from helping to close out the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris. She added to her legacy in France, winning gold in the individual all-around and vault competitions and contributing to the United States' first-place finish in the team event. She was also a silver medalist in the floor exercise.
Biles' compatriots in the U.S. clearly aren't done celebrating her legendary career.
Video: Ana Barbosu Receives Olympic Bronze Medal amid Jordan Chiles Controversy
Aug 16, 2024
Romanian gymnast Ana Maria Barbosu is given an Olympic bronze medal by Mihai Covaliu (L) the president of Romanian Olympic Comitee (COSR), on August 16, 2024 in Bucharest, Romania, after a gymnast from the US was stripped of the medal. Barbosu was awarded the Olympic floor exercise bronze medal originally given to Jordan Chiles, following a decision by the International Olympic Committee (IOC). The IOC decision followed a Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) ruling which cancelled the re-evaluation of Chiles' score on the grounds that the appeal of her degree of difficulty was lodged by the US team four seconds after the regulatory deadline, set at one minute. (Photo by Daniel MIHAILESCU / AFP) (Photo by DANIEL MIHAILESCU/AFP via Getty Images)
Romanian gymnast Ana Barbosu received her bronze medal from the 2024 Paris Olympics on Friday.
"I did not expect the medal to be so heavy, but I would wear it day and night if this is what it takes to have it," Barbosu said afterwards, per the Associated Press (h/t ESPN).
The medal was originally given to U.S. gymnast Jordan Chiles for her floor routine after an inquiry from her coach, Cecile Landi, led to her score being increased. However, the Court of Arbitration for Sport later voided the appeal and the International Olympic Committee required Chiles to return her bronze medal.
Chiles' score improved to 13.766 following the initial inquiry, although it was moved back down to 13.666 after the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) ruled that the request occurred after the one-minute timeframe.
USA Gymnastics submitted video evidence that the request occurred within one minute after the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee released plans to appeal the ruling.
However, the arbitration panel did not reconsider the decision asking Chiles to return the bronze medal.
"We are deeply disappointed by the notification and will continue to pursue every possible avenue and appeal process, including to the Swiss Federal Tribunal, to ensure the just scoring, placement, and medal award for Jordan," USA Gymnastics said in a statement, per the Associated Press.
As for Barbosu, she said that the controversy surrounding the medal was "saddening" and that "we expected the referees and staff at the Olympics to do their job properly" (via ESPN).
She was also sympathetic to Chiles and the U.S. gymnasts after the medal reallocation.
"I am thinking of them even if today I got the medal," Barbosu said.
Chiles still earned some hardware in Paris, as she took home a gold medal after the United States team won the all-around competition.
Jordan Chiles Says She Received Racist Messages After 'Unjust' Olympic Medal Ruling
Aug 15, 2024
US' Jordan Chiles competes in the artistic gymnastics women's floor exercise final during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games at the Bercy Arena in Paris, on August 5, 2024. (Photo by Lionel BONAVENTURE / AFP) (Photo by LIONEL BONAVENTURE/AFP via Getty Images)
Team USA gymnast Jordan Chiles has released her first statement since the International Olympic Committee ordered her to return her bronze medal in the floor exercise from the Paris Summer Olympics.
Of note, she called the Court of Arbitration for Sport's rejection of the USA Gymnastics' appeal "unjust" and noted that she has been the target of "unprompted racially driven attacks on social media."
Chiles initially took fifth in the floor exercise but moved up to third after United States coach Cecile Landi filed an inquiry on her score. Tom Schad of USA Today explained the situation.
"At the women's floor exercise final more than a week ago, Chiles' score increased to 13.766 from 13.666 after her coach, Cecile Landi, appealed a deduction that she had received on one element, known as a tour jete full. The appeal, known as an 'inquiry' in gymnastics, wiped away the deduction, moved Chiles into third and knocked Ana Barbosu of Romania off the podium."
However, the Romanian team successfully appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, stating that Landi's inquiry occurred four seconds after the 60-second deadline.
USA Gymnastics made its own appeal to CAS and released a statement on the matter, claiming in part:
"The time-stamped, video evidence submitted by USA Gymnastics Sunday evening shows Landi first stated her request to file an inquiry at the inquiry table 47 seconds after the score is posted, followed by a second statement 55 seconds after the score was originally posted.
"The video footage provided was not available to USA Gymnastics prior to the tribunal's decision and thus USAG did not have the opportunity to previously submit it."
That appeal was denied, but USA Gymnastics will continue its drive to ensure that Chiles keeps the bronze medal.
There's been an outpouring of public support for Chiles, as expected.
Simone Biles and Suni Lee shared their support for Jordan Chiles after the court voiding the inquiry that gave Chiles a bronze medal ❤️ pic.twitter.com/8py6bgnOO5
A ruling from the Court of Arbitration for Sport was issued to strip Team USA gymnast Jordan Chiles of her bronze medal, saying it’s because her coach's inquiry into the scores came four seconds too late. @Aly_Raisman shares her perspective on TODAY. pic.twitter.com/3yBurjyMYG
It takes YEARS, endless investigations, and appeals for athletes & countries with CHEATING SCANDALS to lose medals they've won.
Meanwhile Jordan Chiles, who didn't cheat, and was screwed over by judges FAILING their job, immediately loses medal. Insane. #TeamUSA#Paris2024https://t.co/LIIYUTRMxa
Chiles is an incredibly decorated gymnast with or without the medal. She won silver medals in the vault and floor exercise at the 2022 World Championships, in addition to gold in the team all-around.
At UCLA, Chiles took home gold in the uneven bars and floor exercise at the 2023 NCAA Championships.
And she's a gold medalist after Team USA earned top honors in Paris in the team all-around. She was also part of the U.S. silver-winning team at the Tokyo Olympics three years ago.
