While Jonathan Owens’ NFL season ended early, Simone Biles has things continuously going on for her. Remember the inaugural Simone Biles International Invitational back in 2018? It included 15 sessions with multiple levels and the young participants also received Biles Invitational leotards and signed posters. In fact, the demand for the meet was so high that they had to cut off the registrations. The whole thing was spearheaded by Nellie Biles.
“I just hope that Simone is an inspiration to the young gymnasts,” the mother said. “I just hope that what she says, the way she carries herself, the work she puts into the sport–that they themselves know it’s not easy.” Cut to 2025, they hosted the eighth Biles International Invitational.
It happened in Houston, Texas, from January 31 to February 2, drawing gymnasts from all over to the George R. Brown Convention Center. The event hosted by Biles’ family-owned World Champions Centre is more than just a meeting; it is a platform for young talent to shine and has become a key fixture since 2018, which draws over 2,000 female gymnasts, many aiming to follow in Biles’ legendary footsteps. Biles wrote on Instagram:
“Hosted our 8th annual Biles International Invitational 🤍 I’ll forever be grateful to have this opportunity! Congrats to all the gymnasts that came out to compete & good luck the rest of season! Keep killing it! thanks to all the volunteers & my family who came out to help run the event!”
The 4-foot-8 gymnast has amassed 11 Olympic medals to go with 30 World Championships medals. But beyond the medals, the mission of uplifting the sport is one that is close to her heart. Here is a list of the Simone Biles International Invitational’s previous events and their location:
- 2018: World Champions Centre
- 2019: Two Hotels in Greenspointe
- 2020: NRG Arena
- 2021: Competititve Edge
- 2022: George R. Brown Convention Center
- 2023: George R. Brown Convention Center
- 2024: George R. Brown Convention Center
Back in 2017, she told PEOPLE: “A big focus for me right now is inspiring the next generation of female athletes to dominate in sports like just men, which we honestly proved at the Olympics when women overall picked up more medals than men. Because once you are in the spotlight you need to use that momentum.” That’s exactly what she is doing with the Simone Biles International Invitational.
What’s interesting is Biles’ post about the eighth annual Biles International Invitational came after a much-needed vacation with husband Jonathan Owens. They had gone to Switzerland for some quiet time and as the plane landed, Biles wrote, “Good Morning Switzerland,” on social media.
While the gymnast looks forward to newer chapters in her life, some pieces of her Olympic journey remain right where she left them!!
Simone Biles admits she has yet to unpack her 2024 Olympics suitcase!
The 7-time- Olympic gold medalist recently shared a candid moment on her Instagram story, which revealed that she still hasn’t unpacked one of her suitcases from the Paris Olympics. The blue baggage, left unzipped, showed a white U.S.A. sweatshirt, a blue backpack, and gray sweatpants, with a pair of white sneakers resting nearby.
“I’m truly ashamed to admit that I still have not unpacked one of my suitcases from the Olympics,” Biles wrote over the image, adding that it was full of “all clean clothes.”
The story came just weeks after she revealed another lingering piece of her Olympic past—her so-called “forbidden Olympics closet.” But it’s not just a closet; it’s a space filled with memories, emotions, and reminders of the highs and lows of her storied career.
Biles opened up about the room in her Sports Illustrated cover story, explaining that she and her husband, Jonathan Owens, have repurposed a rarely used guest room to store her Team USA gear from the Tokyo Olympics. It’s a place she rarely visits, but when Owens is away, she sometimes finds herself sifting through the leotards, pins, and other keepsakes—often ending in tears.
Tokyo 2020 was meant to be the pinnacle of her career, but instead, it became the stage for one of her most challenging moments. Biles had to pull out of several events because of the twisties. She made headlines for putting her mental health first. This experience was hard but also changed her. In Paris 2024, she came back stronger. Despite a calf injury, she won three gold medals and one silver.
