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Debate

Can the support of a loved one like Jonathan Owens truly make or break an athlete's career?

For Simone Biles, the 2024 Olympics will be the redemption she has been looking forward to. Ever since the unfortunate events in Tokyo three years ago, the 26-year-old has been determined to set the record straight. Luckily, her journey back to the top has been incredible, with Biles winning the all-around title at the 2023 World Championships. However, there have been people who have helped her keep her eyes on the prize.

In the recently released Netflix series RISING, Biles revealed how her husband and NFL star Jonathan Owens has been like a corner as she prepared to compensate for the incident from 2021. Claiming that the football safety always had a balanced outlook on everything, Simone revealed that Owens encouraged her to take therapy, assuring her that brighter days were ahead.

…he was just really like a shoulder to lean on, ’cause he saw, like, those dark times after Tokyo,” says Biles in the first episode of the series, recounting how Owens never left her alone on her quest to reclaim her throne. Adding to Biles’ comments, Jonathan also said why it’s necessary to experience rough patches in order to find one’s worth. “You can’t grow if you don’t go through stuff,” Simone’s husband was heard saying.

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Ever since the two went public with their relationship, before ultimately tying the knot last year, both Simone and Jonathan have gone out of their way to rally behind the other. From the gymnast showing up at her husband’s big games to the NFL star braving adverse weather to cheer for Biles at the Xfinity US Championships: they’re never too far away when the other needs them to stand in their corner.

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What I went through kind of opened his eyes,” the country’s most decorated gymnast of all time was heard saying about how she faced her ordeal head-on with the knowledge that Jonathan wouldn’t let her be alone on her road to redemption. However, while her husband is obviously one of her primary support systems now, he wasn’t the first one on Simone’s mind when it came to who to talk to before making the tough call at the Japanese metropolitan at the last Olympics.

Simone Biles is blessed with a fierce cheering squad

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An article by Business Insider chronicled how Biles took off from the arena three years ago when she got cold feet ahead of the vault routine, which is arguably her strongest suit. Comprehending the gravity of the situation, the four-time Olympic gold medalist explained the situation to her coach before making a trans-continental call to her mother Nellie in Texas to seek guidance. Simone’s mother didn’t take a moment before assuring her daughter that putting herself first would be the priority and that Simone should know that her teammates would give their best even without her.

Subsequently, Simone’s mom broke the news to the family members about the gymnast deciding to pull out from the finals in Tokyo before it was officially announced by the commentators. While these people were adamant that Biles should not trade her mental health for glory, they were also the first in line to give her the support and confidence boost when she decided to make a return in 2023 in a bid to reclaim her high throne. But will that be enough to help Simone Biles see across the tough task that lies ahead? Considering how she has won every single tournament ever since making her comeback at last year’s US Classic, fans would like to believe so. But what do you think the French capital will have to offer? Tell us!