Simone Biles shared a heartfelt moment with her mother Nellie after clinching Olympic gold, a touching reunion captured on camera in Paris on Tuesday night.
At 27, Biles led Team USA to their fourth gold medal in the women’s team competition, showcasing remarkable skills across all four apparatuses. This victory marked her fifth gold, establishing her as the most decorated gymnast in Olympic history.
Following her historic achievement, Biles was seen embracing her visibly emotional mother Nellie in the heart of France.
NBC cameras recorded the moment as Biles, joined by her husband Jonathan Owens, spotted her mom and joyfully dashed over to hug her.
Nellie kissed Biles on the cheek before proudly hoisting her daughter’s gold medal high, with hundreds of fans and cameras capturing the emotional scene.
Simone Biles hugs her adoptive mother, Nellie Biles, after winning the team gold for the USA
Nellie holds up her daughter’s gold medal for the team all-around event at the Olympic games
While Biles was eager to celebrate on Tuesday night, she also took a moment to address her critics.
On Instagram, Biles shared a team photo with a pointed caption.
It read: ‘lack of talent, lazy, olympic champions.’
This seemingly referred to a comment made by former Team USA gymnast MyKayla Skinner, who had critiqued the team’s composition ahead of the games.
In a now-deleted YouTube video, Skinner voiced her concerns about the work ethic of Biles, Jordan Chiles, Suni Lee, Jade Carey, and Hezly Rivera.
‘Besides Simone, I feel like the talent and the depth just isn’t like what it used to be,’ the 27-year-old said.
‘The girls just don’t have the work ethic,’ Skinner added, also addressing the US Center for SafeSport—a non-profit aimed at safeguarding young athletes.
The members of the USA women’s gymnastics team after winning the team gold medal in Paris
‘It’s challenging too because of SafeSport. Coaches are limited in how they can interact with athletes and must be cautious with their words.’
‘While that is beneficial in certain respects, gymnastics requires a level of intensity and assertiveness to reach the top.’
Immediately following this, Biles responded to Skinner on Threads, stating that ‘not everyone needs a mic and a platform.’
Biles and several teammates, including Chiles, Lee, and Carey, subsequently blocked Skinner on social media after her remarks.
Skinner later offered an apology for her comments.
Despite the controversy, the mood remained joyous as the Olympic champions celebrated with their families.
Chiles was seen enthusiastically embracing her mother upon their heartfelt reunion in Paris.
Jordan Chiles, who competed in all four events, celebrates with her mother after the games
Suni Lee is seen being hugged by her mother after they reunited following the gold medal
Chiles was the sole American besides Biles to participate across all four events in the team competition.
The emotions were equally profound for Suni Lee, who excelled on the uneven bars and balance beam.
Lee was captured embracing her mother while becoming visibly emotional.
Next on the agenda for Team USA are the individual events in floor, uneven bars, balance beam, and vault, along with the individual all-around competition.
