Paris was buzzing with excitement as the 2024 Olympics kicked off, but hold your baguettes—where was the legendary Simone Biles? As athletes floated down the Seine River in a majestic parade, the 27-year-old gymnastics queen was noticeably absent. Spoiler alert: she wasn’t stuck in traffic!
Instead of partying with the rest of the Olympic squad, Simone decided to opt for some much-needed beauty sleep. Yep, that’s right—while everyone else was waving to the crowds, Simone was probably snuggled up in her bed, dreaming of gold medals and perfect 10s.
NBC’s Hoda Kotb caught up with Simone’s mom, Nellie Biles, who spilled the tea on why her superstar daughter missed the festivities. “The first gymnastics competition is on Sunday,” Nellie explained, “which means Simone needs her rest. No time for boat rides and waving when you’ve got flips and twists to perfect!”
Apparently, Simone is feeling fantastic and is ready to conquer the competition. Nellie assured everyone that she chatted with Simone that morning and she’s doing just fine. Maybe even doing cartwheels in her sleep—who knows?
Nellie also mentioned that Simone is in “a really good space” (probably a space filled with balance beams and uneven bars) and is super grateful to have her family cheering her on. And by family, we mean a small army—seventeen of them, to be exact! Talk about a cheer squad!
So, while Simone might have skipped the Seine River cruise, you can bet she’s ready to make waves in the gymnastics arena. Stay tuned, because the flips, twists, and bedazzled leotards are about to get real!
