The Boulevard de Bercy in the 12th arrondissement of Paris was buzzing with excitement as A-list celebrities flocked to catch a glimpse of the American gymnastics queen, Simone Biles. Everyone from Lady Gaga, Tom Cruise, and Nick Jonas to Bill Gates, Anna Wintour, and Snoop Dogg made their way to see the world’s most decorated gymnast in action. Biles is no stranger to being the star of the show, but even this seven-time Olympic gold medalist has her own moments of fangirling! That’s exactly what happened when her bestie, Jordan Chiles, introduced her to track and field legend Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce!
During their stay at the Olympic Village, Chiles and Biles spent a lot of time together. During one of their putting, the 23-year-old spotted Fraser-Pryce. “I was like, hey, Simone, there’s Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce,” Chiles told the three-time Olympian. However, she didn’t expect the eleven-time Olympic medalist to act the way she did. Biles seemed starstruck in Mommy Rocket’s presence.
“I’ve never seen Simone (Biles) get, so like, Whoa!” the gymnast revealed on the Chicks in the Office podcast. “Like, she’s right there,” the 27-year-old told Jordan Chiles as if she couldn’t believe her eyes. The two-time Olympic medalist revealed how unusual it felt to see the gymnastics GOAT act like a bubbly fan. “It’s the opposite” when people meet Biles, said Chiles.
However, the world championship gold medalist was glad she could introduce her BFF to the track and field icon. While Simone Biles may be the gymnastics GOAT, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce is also among the all-time greats of sprinting. The eight-time Olympic medalist is the third-fastest woman in history, and Simone Biles couldn’t help but be in awe.
Jordan Chiles, who was also part of the conversation, said it was “really cool” to interact with the humble 37-year-old as cool. The fact that Paris 20204 was the Jamaican legend’s last Olympics only made the meeting even more special. Although Fraser-Pryce didn’t get her fairy tale ending thanks to an injury, her presence inspired the likes of Chiles, Biles, and many others.
In fact, Simeone Biles wasn’t the only athlete who gushed over the three-time Olympic gold medalist. Team New Zealand’s Michaela Blyde had a similar reaction to Biles when she met the track icon in the Olympic Village. However, the gymnastics icon from Texas was back to dazzling fans at home after her triumphant Olympic campaign.
The Simone Biles effect that Jordan Chiles is familiar with
During her appearance on the “Chicks in the Office” podcast, Jordan Chiles shared how she’s no stranger to seeing fans become starstruck in front of Simone Biles. And who could blame them? Even the U.S. men’s basketball team couldn’t resist being in awe when they took a courtside seat in Paris to watch Biles claim yet another Olympic gold. With stars like Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, and Devin Booker cheering her on, the NBA players were just as mesmerized as anyone, witnessing Simone’s mind-blowing routines up close.
Curry, capturing the action on his phone, summed it up perfectly: “To see that athleticism, the clutchness of Simone and Suni in that moment, knowing what they had to do and going out and doing it, was absolutely incredible. They are ridiculous to watch.” The whole team erupted with every flawless flip, celebrating as if they had just won a game themselves.
Durant echoed the sentiment, saying, “You see them getting medals, you want to do the same thing. Athletes inspire athletes, and greatness inspires greatness, brother.” It was clear the basketball squad was soaking in the energy, ready to channel it into their own pursuit of gold. But Simone’s star power didn’t stop there.
After Paris, she and fellow Olympian Gabby Thomas made a surprise appearance at a WNBA game, leaving the Indiana Fever athletes, including Caitlin Clark and Kelsey Mitchell, in absolute awe. The team celebrated their victory with photos alongside the two Olympic icons, a moment they won’t soon forget.
While Chiles is used to seeing people go gaga over her bestie, even she could understand why Biles was left awestruck when meeting track legend Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce. With a career that kicked off with Olympic gold in 2008 and has seen Jamaica dominate the track ever since it’s no surprise that Simone Biles holds such deep respect for the trailblazing Fraser-Pryce!
