Olympic gold medalist gymnast Simone Biles and NFL player Jonathan Owens celebrated with their friends who are expecting a baby.
In an Instagram post posted on Tuesday evening, Biles shared with her followers that she attended influencer and content creator Kayla Simone and Ira Brandon III’s gender reveal party a couple of weeks ago.
The mini photo dump featured a sweet shot of Biles and Owens posing with the parents-to-be, a fun group picture with Simone’s friends and an adorable picture of the couple together.
“Congrats to my beautiful friends 🤍 baby b is already so loved!” Biles wrote. “We can’t wait for his arrival! love y’all so much, you’re gonna be the best parents! I’m excited about this new chapter for y’all 🤭.”
Biles is petite and stands at just 4′8″, noticeably shorter than her husband who is 5′ 11″. Fans couldn’t help but comment on the height difference, with many pointing out how she stood on her tiptoes in the photo with Owens.
“Girl, why are you on your tippy toes🤭💀🤣,” one user commented.
Another fan wrote, “The tip toes omg you’re literally so cute 😭💙”
“I love that you stand on top toes #shortgirl YAY TO NEW,” commented another user.
Many of Biles’ fans also congratulated Simone and Brandon on their milestone, showing support not just for Biles, but for her friends as well.
“Congratulations to your friends new chapter!!!” one fan wrote.
“Wowwwww!!!!…. Beautiful pics!!!!” another user said. “Congrats and god bless the baby!!”
Simone, the expecting mother, also commented on Biles’ post five minutes after it was posted, saying, “Love you guys SO much 🩵 baby B is so lucky to have you guys as family 🥰.”
It was announced earlier this month that Simone Biles, will be serving as the “Riders Up” announce for Kentucky Derby 151 on Saturday, May 3, 2025.
With 41 medals across World Championships and the Olympic games, Biles holds the most World Championship medals (30) and gold medals (23) in gymnastics history. A three-time Olympian, her 11 Olympic medals and seven Olympic gold medals are the most by a US gymnast.
Here’s who else has done it over the years.
Who was the ‘Riders Up’ announcer at Kentucky Derby 150?
In 2024 at Kentucky Derby 150, Martha Stewart was the “Riders Up” announcer. She almost called Kentucky, “Connecticut,” in a viral moment.
Who was the ‘Riders Up’ announcer at the Kentucky Derby in 2023?
In 2023 Patrick Mahomes, the Kansas City Chief’s quarterback, was the “Riders Up” announcer.
Who was the ‘Riders Up’ announcer at the Kentucky Derby in 2022?
During the 2022 Kentucky Derby, rapper and Louisville native Jack Harlow was the “Riders Up” announcer.
Who was the ‘Riders Up’ announcer at the Kentucky Derby in 2021?
Horse trainer D. Wayne Lukas said “Riders Up” at the 2021 Kentucky Derby.
Simone Biles Let Go of Million Dollar Contract After Nike’s Ungrateful Behaviour & Found a New Home Forever
2021. The much-awaited Tokyo Olympics were just 3 months away when Simone Biles took a tough call, one that no one expected. After a 6-year-long run, she called off her partnership with Nike. Imagine this was at a time when her figures had climbed to about $1.6M a month. But this was no rumor. The ex-sponsor corroborated the news too: “Our contract with Simone Biles has ended, and we wish her the very best.” However, do you know what actually happened? 4 years later, it’s time to unfold that mystery!
Around the time when Simone Biles decided to leave Nike, she wasn’t the only one who was doing that. Renowned American track and field athlete Allyson Felix had just ended her run with the side in 2019. She pinned it on the financial struggles that she went through with the brand once she got pregnant. Even Kobe Bryant’s estate walked out. But no, Simone Biles’ reason was different. Yes, she is one of the greatest female athletes, and Nike did not seem to have made her the major brand face as many expected. But this wasn’t the cause. So what was it? We finally know.
Well, the Thoughtleader co-founder, Fernando Cao, posted the entire timeline of X on April 28, opining that Biles left Nike because she wanted support for her as a person, not just an athlete. She wanted creative input into her products. She knew that a values-driven partnership was of greater significance than a big paycheck or chasing fame. And all these qualities were spotted by her in one brand. No wonder she let go of an $8M contract to join Athleta in 2021, saying, “I think they stand for everything that I stand for.”
And how exactly did Athleta stand out? We have details on this, too. Well, back then, Athleta wasn’t a big name. They were mainly a women-focused brand and in 2021, were valued at $419 million, just 0.2% the size of Nike. But what really set Athleta apart when it came to Simone Biles was how they worked with her. Instead of handing her a set of designs and saying, ‘wear this,’ they flipped the script and asked her, “What do YOU want to create?” At the time, that was pretty rare, and it made a real impression on Biles.
Also, Athleta backed her financially, too, sponsoring her Gold Over America Tour and helping her vision come to life. But maybe the biggest thing? They saw who she really is, as in the Simone Biles behind the performances. That’s why her designs included affirmations like “Because I can,” something she would say to herself when pushing the limits with new skills. Even the products were practical. Fabrics that stayed put during flips and twists solved real problems. That was how Athleta became a game changer for Biles. And then? It was like the two were always associated with each other.
Simone Biles and Athleta were meant to be
In their early days, Athleta only had two major athlete partners, Allyson Felix and Simone Biles. But the brand kept focusing on inclusivity, women’s empowerment, and sustainability. Like when Simone Biles made the tough decision to withdraw from the Olympics to prioritize her mental health, she faced a wave of criticism. But Athleta responded immediately, saying, “We stand by Simone and support her well-being both in and out of competition.”
And it wasn’t just a polished PR statement. Athleta actually built mental health and community support into their deal with Simone. They even offered counseling for athletes and created mentorship programs to support young gymnasts.
The results showed a tremendous difference. Simone Biles’ collections sold out within days. Even sales jumped 37% during her campaigns. And nearly 60% of new customers said they bought from Athleta specifically because of how genuinely involved the athletes were. While bigger brands like Nike may have missed this strategy, Athleta got it. No wonder Simone Biles’ partnership is going strong, and now she’s joined by other powerhouse names like Katie Ledecky, Monica Piug, and others.
Aimee Boorman has heard that line, over and over, from other coaches when they talk about the gymnast she helped lift to heights never seen within their sport.
“They say it with a sense of pride,” Boorman tells USA TODAY Sports, “and it’s like, ‘So you realize how many potential Simones you have pushed out of your gym?’ “
Biles was the kid who always loved the gymnastics part, but not the work that went into making her the best. Some days she just wanted to go home.
Those characteristics didn’t necessarily change as she grew into the decorated champion America knew. Boorman, though, was willing to manage them in a way others wouldn’t.
Biles’ coach from age 7 through her four-gold-medal performance at the 2016 Rio Olympics remembers her as one of her more challenging pupils.
“If everybody is just strict and obedient, you grow stale as a coach,” Boorman says. “So when you have somebody who’s throwing something new at you all the time, on an emotional level, on a personality level, you gotta grow. And I think some of those other coaches weren’t willing to grow.
“When people say, ‘Well, there’s only going to be one Simone,’ I’m like, ‘That’s not true.’ You have to know how to manage that athlete to get them to the point they could be a Simone.”
Boorman’s approach – nurturing, forgiving, even relenting – was novel to coaching within a sport of forced discipline and regulation. She lays out her methodology, ingrained in her by a tumultuous childhood experience, in “The Balance: My Years Coaching Simone Biles.”
The book, which was released last week, reveals a back story of how athletes develop and mature but also how they can have giggles on their face before and after their most triumphant Olympic moments.
Boorman and co-author Steve Cooper spoke with us about facing unique challenges while coaching and parenting our athletes and how we can overcome them in unexpected ways.
“Nothing about Simone’s greatness was inevitable,” Cooper said during our Zoom interview. “It was a process. It wasn’t just luck.”
‘If it wasn’t fun, she wasn’t having any part of it’: Without love for a sport, it’s difficult to move forward
Boorman is often asked if she knew when Biles would become superstar. The answer: When she became one.
“Up until that point, anything can happen,” she says, “and any given day, if Simone didn’t have that passion and that love for gymnastics inside of her, she could be like, ‘I’m done. I’m gonna go run track.’ “
Boorman recalls the joy she felt as a young girl in the early 1980s, when she first flung herself from the bars of Lakeshore Academy in Chicago, but also how quickly a reckless coach drained it from her.
No matter how long she stood on the balance beam, her arms raised until they were numb trying to get Coach Jeremy’s attention, he wasn’t satisfied. His name is a pseudonym, but also an extreme archetype for an era of the sport: No positive reinforcement, no acknowledgement of effort and sometimes little hope.
“That constant negative input made me have total lack of belief in myself,” she says.
And yet, like most kids, Aimee yearned to please him. She arrived early one day, straining to grab his undivided attention by working out on her own. She broke her leg. Then he ignored her for months until she finally quit.
All of the biggest celebrities arrived at Lincoln Center for the annual Time100 Gala, celebrating the year’s list. One of the night’s attendees, Olympic gymnast and Time100 honoree Simone Biles, was a standout on the red carpet, wearing a stunning structured minidress.
The gold medalist sported a head-turning Oscar de la Renta number that featured metallic geometric shapes across the entire piece.
She attended the gala with her husband Jonathan Owens, who she married back in 2023. The couple shared a sweet story about the snafu that they hit on their wedding day. “For the wedding day, he actually didn’t show me his tux or his groomsmen,” Biles told E! News on the red carpet. “I wasn’t allowed to see until I walked down the aisle, same as him.” This caused a problem down the line, she said.
“They weren’t wearing the correct colors I told him to,” the gymnast said. “But it worked out. It looked beautiful.”
At the gala last night, Biles also received this year’s Time Impact Award. While accepting the award, she spoke about taking care of and being kind to herself. “I was expected to be robotic and compartmentalize my feelings in order to achieve what might otherwise be an overwhelming goal,” Biles said on stage. “But that just wasn’t me. I needed to smile, to laugh, to occasionally play practical jokes. I found ways to keep competition and training environments polite and fun, and it allowed me to succeed.”
Thankful to Simone Biles’ Parents, Gymnast’s Ex-Coach Reveals How She Saved Her From Extensive Training Methods
Imagine being under someone’s mentorship since you were 7. And that goes on for over a decade. Well, that’s Simone Biles and Aimee Boorman for you. Biles was just a promising elementary school athlete when Boorman first saw her walk into a Houston gym. And today, she’s an 11-time Olympic medalist who goes by the moniker of the G.O.A.T. But had it not been for Boorman’s strong-headed approach regarding Biles’ training methods, we kid you not, today the story could have been entirely different…
Aimee Boorman has seen a lot of Simone Biles’ success up close. After all, she shaped her from a toddler into a gymnast who topped podiums like it was a cakewalk for her. 14 medals at the three world championships between 2013 and 2015. And let’s not forget Biles’ Rio Olympic triumph in 2016. All of this came under Boorman’s training. But had it not been for her stern decisions regarding how to train Biles, this would have looked difficult. Boorman’s biggest decision, perhaps?
Doing away with the potentially damaging methods implied by one of Simone’s other coaches. Yes, Aimee Boorman was very cautious and sensitive about how she trained Simone Biles. In the wake of her recently published memoir, “The Balance: My Years Coaching Simone Biles,” she appeared on the GymCastic podcast aired on YouTube on April 24. And that’s when she voiced a startling confession: “I didn’t realize how often I stood up to her (that coach) until I read the book, because it was just a part of my life. It was a part of my everyday of what I was going to accept from her and what I was not going to accept, and what I would, um, communicate to Simone and what I would not communicate.”
Yes, Boorman had her own way of filtering what advice and tips reached Simone Biles and what needed to be cut out. That’s because “there were things that she (that coach) would say to me that I would not communicate to Simone. Where other coaches might have gone in and said, “Well, she (that coach) thinks that you’ve put on weight, so you’re going to have to go on a diet.” You know, like, I would never say that to Simone because I would just tell her (that coach) that was okay. I would just nod and say, “Okay.”” Well, that’s Boorman for you. She would not stand up and confront that coach directly, but she did have her own way of segregating the talk and ensuring only the best bits reached Simone Biles.
Because things that weren’t going to help Simone in her gymnastics, why bother her mind space with them? Even Simone Biles had previously said that at the monthly camps under the other coach, no one would even talk or laugh, which was not how Simone wanted to do gymnastics. “They used to try to put us in a box, and they were like, ‘If you weren’t like this, you’re not going to be successful,’” Biles said.
And not many know, but here’s an interesting fact: Boorman’s style has always been different than that of other coaches. She wanted Simone Biles and all her gymnasts to be happy above everything else. A huge reason behind this was that, back in her childhood, Boorman had a coach who ignored her and made her feel awful, which diminished her love of gymnastics for a while. So when she started coaching, she pledged never to make anyone feel the same. Boorman’s ideology comes across best through this line she once said: “If I’m proud of myself for anything, it’s staying true to that ideal of making sure that sports are healthy and athletes are happy before anything.”
No wonder Simone Biles’ parents trusted Boorman to be her mentor for such a long time. They were together longer than most coach-athlete duos survive. Knowing this also makes Boorman grateful for that opportunity and for those memories!
In that very podcast, Boorman also said something incredibly sweet to Simone Biles’ parents, Ron and Nellie Biles. She said, “Yeah, first off, I mean I will forever be grateful to Ron and Nelly Biles for trusting me.” She had been clear with them since day 1, saying, “Let me see how far I can take her, and I will let you know if I cannot take her any further.” And they did trust her!
Another factor why Simone Biles’ parents really counted on Aimee Boorman was because, whenever the two had to part, Boorman would help them find the right coach for Biles because she knew her too well. She even knew what made her stay and show her skills in the gym. “And it was also very clear that I would help them find the right coach… I knew what made her tick in the gym. And so would it have been hard for me to send her off…of course, I’d put a lot of time and effort into coaching her. But the fact of the matter is, it’s what would’ve been best for her if I couldn’t keep up with her.”
The two did split up when Boorman accepted a job at Evo Athletics in Florida, and Biles wasn’t really sure of her gymnastics future because back then, the prevailing culture was that athletes retired after the Olympics. But the record books are testament to the fact that this duo was a hit on the mats. What do you think of Boorman’s coaching?
Excited Simone Biles Gushes Over Met Gala Glam As Jonathan Owens Set to Pause Football Practice To Celebrate Their Big Relationship Moment
“Glad I got to see you for a short bit before jetting off to the airport,” Simone Biles last caught a glimpse of Jonathan Owens before she hopped into her flight to Madrid. And while she was there being crowned the Laureus Sportswoman of the Year, Jonathan Owens was busy with his football vows. But hey, distance doesn’t look good on these lovebirds. And while fans have been missing those SB-JO moments that they can swoon over, it’s finally time to brace yourselves! Because Simone just dropped a little hint: an eventful outing is on the cards sooner than you think!
Remember Simone Biles and Jonathan Owens’ honeymoon in South Africa? A new destination every day, new memories, and new pictures of the sports town’s favorite couple for the fans to adore. But it’s been a long gap since then, and it’s about time for another one of their couple appearances, right? Well, it looks like they heard you, because it’s all going to turn true at the upcoming MET gala!
April 25, speaking to ExtraTV, Simone Biles made a massive revelation. She will be present at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City on May 5 for the MET Gala 2025. And her excitement? It’s blowing through the roof! “Oh my gosh, I am really excited, obviously no training goes into the Met, so I’m happy about that. It’s really just getting in fitting, seeing what you’re going to wear, and then going from there.”
Apart from alerting the fashion lovers about her new look that will be dropping at the MET, “It will be tailored, it will be a custom dress, I’m going back and forth between two right now, um both custom looks for me, so I’m excited,” Simone Biles also voiced a good news for the Simone-Jonathan fans. “It is date night it’ll be the day before our wedding, second wedding anniversary as well, so it’ll be really exciting to celebrate at the Met with him,” she said. Well, yes, Simone Biles and JO are showing up in NYC together for the event, so paps and fans, keep your cameras ready. And as she mentioned, the MET will also be date night as it is timed just before the couple celebrate a major milestone in their relationship, aka their 2nd wedding anniversary. Can you believe it’s about to be 2 years to their intimate and traditional wedding in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico? We can’t either.
But, Jonathan Owens is likely to be swamped in his NFL practice then. So he might have to pause it for a bit to step out to NYC with his wife. But hey, that isn’t really an impossible mission for him. We have seen him pull off a similar move while Simone Biles was competing in Paris, when he requested special off time to fly to Paris amid the Chicago Bears’ training to cheer for her. Also, it’s their anniversary a day after, so just like last year, when Biles treated fans to snapshots from their romantic date night, this time, the MET will set the stage for another memorable celebration.
But here’s the thing, if anyone knows how to balance the sport and their relationship together, it’s these too. Another example off late proved it.
Simone Biles and Jonathan Owens enjoy the best of both worlds
While Simone was in Madrid, posing on the red carpets of the Laureus Sports Awards in her elegant black corset gown, made by a Saudi designer, Jonathan Owens was busy with his football duties. Yes, Simone Biles revealed to ExtraTV that, “He’s hosting one of the Chicago Bears draft party cuz it’s draft night.” So yes, while Biles was away being recognized for her achievements, Owens was catching up on what’s going on the football turf with his boys.
But like Biles just spilled the details of where his husband is and what plans they have for a date night, was she always this vocal? Well, even before her Netflix documentary was out, she revealed on April 24 that they considered aspects of JO’s privacy, “Our relationship is a really big part of my life, and everyone’s gotten to see me grow up, but they haven’t gotten to see me and my husband interact.” And that, “Obviously, we respected Jonathan’s privacy as well and had to figure out how much he wanted to be highlighted in the series. But ultimately, we decided that we do want to share this.” In all, JO and her life having changed after marriage, in terms of juggling both gymnastics and her life, is a huge detail that she cannot slide past. What do you think of this?
At the 2025 Time100 Gala, Simone Biles spoke to Access Hollywood about being named on the The 100 Most Influential People of 2025 list and how special it was to have former Olympic teammate Aly Raisman pay tribute to her in the publication. She also talked two big events she’s gearing up to attend with her husband Jonathan Owens next month: the Kentucky Derby and the Met Gala. Simone and Jonathan will also be celebrating their second wedding anniversary in May, and she shared how her highlight of marriage thus far has been getting to spend more time together. “Being together, because our first year of marriage, we were barely together,” she said of their busy lives as an Olympic gymnast and an NFL safety, respectively. “We were kind of doing long distance, so now it’s just really spending that time with one another.”
A viewership of 8.2 million! This incredible feat now rests with Simone Biles’ documentary series, Simone Biles Rising. The gymnast who had to leave the sports she loved back in 2020, in the greatest stage of all, the Olympics, returned in 2024 to the very same sport on the very same stage and reclaimed her position as the goat. The documentary explored her comeback as a gymnast and ventured into her personal life as well. One thing that got a lot of attention was the series talking about her married life. What does she have to say about this?
Netflix, in its official interview with the gymnast, asked her how sharing details about her relationship with her husband felt, especially when they have been in the public eye for so long. The Olympian responded, “Our relationship is a really big part of my life, and everyone’s gotten to see me grow up, but they haven’t gotten to see me and my husband interact.” The 28-year-old has seen fame since she won the all-around title in the 2013 world championship at just sixteen.
Biles further pointed out that she wanted the world to know that she can get married and still be the best version of herself when it came to gymnastics. She got married on 22 April 2023, and after the 2024 Paris Olympics, she returned with 3 golds and one silver. “Our relationship is a really big part of my life, and everyone’s gotten to see me grow up, but they haven’t gotten to see me and my husband interact. I thought it really important to highlight that, yes, I can be married and still be at the top of my game. Getting married and going back to the Olympics was a huge part of my life that I didn’t want to gloss over.” She said. But there was a challenge.
While sharing the details of their marriage, Biles also had to consider Owen’s privacy and how much he wanted to be a part of the docuseries. Ultimately, the couple worked out and decided that it was important for him to be a part of it. She further said in the interview, “Obviously, we respected Jonathan’s privacy as well and had to figure out how much he wanted to be highlighted in the series. But ultimately, we decided that we do want to share this. It’s a big part of our lives, and I think it’s really important for kids to see that there are things to look forward to past gymnastics and sports.”
The couple has been really supportive of each other through their almost two years of marriage. Once Simone had hit back at trolls who came after Owens for wearing her Olympic medal. Owens, on the other hand, has time to time, supported his wife as well.
When the gymnast won the 2024 SI Sportsperson of the Year Award, the NFL safety took to his social media to pen down a heartfelt note for his wife. Now, Simone’s influence has turned Owens into a fan of gymnastics, too!
Simone Biles’s husband is a gymnastics fan.
“He knows so much about gymnastics,” Biles said in an interview while pointing out that she is still learning a thing or two about football. Owens has been a regular supporter of Biles at her games. The man negotiated time away from his NFL duties for the Chicago Bears because he wanted to put the Paris Olympics as a priority. And no, he did not do this to play for the US team, but because he wanted to support his wife.
As the gymnast entered the finals of the grandest stage of all, Owens flew to Paris to see her. “Coming for you baby,” Owens posted on his Instagram story with a photo of him onboard an airplane. Biles reposted it, adding four emojis: “🤞🏾🤞🏾🥹🥹”. Other than Owens, Biles’ parents, Ron and Nellie, were also in attendance. Moreover, he has also been seen doing something during Biles’ games that has drawn a lot of attention.
When the NFL safety arrived to watch his wife in the finals of the gymnastics finals of the Olympics, the man donned a Simone Biles T-shirt, as well as a pen and notepad. Yes, a pen and notepad!!! This left a lot of fans wondering what the man was writing down.
Maybe the moments he loved in the match? Maybe a loving note for his wife? What do you think?
