"I’ve always dreamt of hosting my own competition" - Simone Biles successfully hosts the 7th Biles International Invitational
Simone Biles recently organized the successful seventh edition of the Biles International Invitational.
The Invitational was held over the weekend from February 4 to 6, 2024, at George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston, Texas, with more than 3,500 athletes competing in what serves qualifying event for the Nastia Liukin Cup.
The first edition of the Biles International Invitational was held in 2018 at the World Champions Centre, a training facility established by Biles' parents for elite gymnasts.
Apart from the qualifying and final rounds, the event also featured an Athletes Glow Party on February 2. The participants got to meet the legendary gymnast along with other elite gymnasts, including Jordan Chiles, Zoe Miller, Joscelyn Roberson, and Tiana Sumanasekera, at an autograph signing session.
Simone Biles took to social media to share the success of the event with her fans. She also expressed her gratitude towards her family and friends, which included her parents, her husband, Jonathan Owens, and her sister, Adria for selflessly volunteering at the event.
"Reflecting on last weekend. We hosted our 7th Biles International Invitational, I’ve always dreamt of hosting my own competition but never thought it would come to fruition. I feel so blessed to be able to host this competition but I couldn’t do it without all of the love and support (especially my family & friends coming out to volunteer EVERY YEAR 🤍) it’s our little reunion!" she wrote.
"I want to thank all of the gyms and athletes for coming out to support and congratulate y’all on competing, I hope you had an amazing experience that you will forever cherish." Biles added.
"Cheers to 2024 season," she concluded.
"I wish I could sit here and tell you it was glorious" - Simone Biles reflects on time after withdrawing from the 2020 Olympics
America's beloved gymnast Simone Biles withdrew from competing in the finals at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics to focus on her mental health after experiencing 'twisties.'
Since then, Biles has been a passionate supporter of mental health. While speaking to Vanity Fair, the 26-year-old opened up about her time after the Tokyo Olympics elaborating about the struggles she went through.
"I wish I could sit here and tell you it was glorious. When I took a break after 2016, I had the time of my life. I was doing anything and everything. But after 2020, it was kind of depressing until I started therapy and got help. I felt like a failure," she elaborated.
"Every time I talked about my experience in Tokyo—because it obviously didn’t go the way that I had planned—it stung a little bit. But all in all, it was the best decision," the star gymnast concluded.