Team USA Women’s Gymnastics Squad Sets New Milestones

Simone Biles has already made history, but the entire Team USA women’s gymnastics team for the Paris Summer Olympic Games is setting new milestones.

The team, featuring Biles, Jade Carey, Jordan Chiles, Sunisa Lee, and Hezly Rivera, aims to reclaim the Olympic team gold while breaking records. For the first time, the team includes two Olympic all-around champions, Biles and Lee, and four returning Olympians—Biles, Lee, Carey, and Chiles. Additionally, it is the most diverse U.S. women’s gymnastics team ever, in a sport that has historically seen few women of color.

At 27, Biles is the oldest U.S. women’s gymnast to compete in the Olympics since the 1950s. As she competes in her third Olympics, Biles has become the most decorated gymnast in history with 37 world and Olympic medals. A podium finish in Paris would make her the most decorated U.S. Olympic gymnast, surpassing Shannon Miller’s record of seven medals. Biles also stands out with her unique vault—the Yurchenko double pike, known as the Biles II—being the only female gymnast to perform this skill.

Biles’ teammates are also pioneers. Team USA women have claimed the Olympic individual all-around title at every Games since 2004. This reflects the evolution of gymnastics from a sport dominated by young teens to one where athletes can extend their careers, partly thanks to new Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) laws. These laws allow athletes to compete at the collegiate level while benefiting from sponsorships and revenue opportunities, bridging the gap between amateur and professional sports.

Advancements in training, recovery, and rest technologies have also enabled gymnasts to maintain peak performance while minimizing wear and tear. Modern recovery techniques are crucial for older gymnasts, who need to balance rigorous training with effective recovery to stay competitive.

These factors will be pivotal when Team USA competes in the team event on July 30 at the Bercy arena, as they continue to break barriers and set new standards in the sport.

Image Credit: USA Gymnastics on X.

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