This moment has been a long time coming. After last month’s turbulent Olympic trials—where three top gymnasts were forced to remove their Olympic bids due to injuries—Team USA has proven that nothing can stop them from winning.
Simone Biles, Suni Lee, Jordan Chiles, Jade Carey, and Hezly Rivera won the team all-around gold medal at the Paris Games. See their reactions to receiving their gold medals, below.
And more excitement from the exact moment the gymnasts realized they won the team all-around.
Ahead of the Olympics, ELLE interviewed all five gymnasts about their path to the Games. Rivera, who is making her Olympic debut, said her journey here has been difficult, but worth it. “After putting in years of hard work and all of the sacrifices my family and I made, well, I can’t describe the feeling,” she said.
Biles told ELLE she has been “doing therapy weekly to keep everything in tune so that I feel comfortable and confident enough to be competing. It’s been a crucial part of my training regimen.”
And Chiles echoed the importance of mental health, saying: “I feel like I can go out there and be me. I don’t have anything to prove. I’m not going to regret anything. I don’t doubt myself. I am always going to be an Olympian.”
Rose is the Senior Editor of Features & Special Projects at ELLE.com overseeing features and projects about women’s issues. She is an accomplished and compassionate storyteller and editor who excels in obtaining exclusive interviews and unearthing compelling features.
