In a dazzling display of skill and determination, Simone Biles triumphed at the 2024 Xfinity Championship, cementing her status as a gymnastics legend. On Day 1 of the Xfinity Games, the reigning world champion dominated with a total score of 60.450, securing a significant lead over the second-place gymnast. Her top-notch Olympic preparation is evident in the precise execution of her routines.

Biles’ performance demonstrated unrivaled talent and highlighted why investing in her skills is incredibly rewarding. It’s no wonder then that fans from around the world come to get a glimpse of her. A dedicated gymnastics couple traveled 10,000 miles to witness the brilliance of the championship and support their icon, Simone Biles, amidst an ecstatic crowd.

Recently, Scott Bregman shared a picture of a couple posing during the US National Championships on his X handle. The two women wore matching shirts that read, “We Flew 10500 Miles for Biles”. Bregman introduced them in his caption, “Courtney Wright and Zara Stanes traveled more than 10,000 miles and for nearly two days to watch @Simone_Biles at the U.S. Championships. They made it, slept three hours, and now they’re front and center as she goes for title No. 9.” Starting their journey from Perth on Wednesday afternoon, the couple embarked on a more than 10,000-mile trip.

They first flew to Singapore, which took about five-and-a-half hours, before continuing to Los Angeles, adding another 15 hours of travel time. Unfortunately, their plans were disrupted by weather delays the following morning, extending what was supposed to be a two-and-a-half-hour trip to Ft. Worth into “an eight hour ordeal”. However, this hiccup did little to dampen their spirits. Wright later told Olympics.com that they saw a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and decided to grab it.

Despite the long journey and minimal sleep, Courtney and Zara were thrilled to be at the championships, eagerly anticipating the opportunity to witness Simone Biles compete for her ninth title. Wright stated, “The journey really began when Simone came back last year, and I went, ‘This is it. We’ve got I feel like one more opportunity to see her compete in person’”. She further added, “I messaged Zara because she’s always willing to go along with my crazy ideas, and I said, ‘Let’s go to nationals next year.’” 

Biles finished the first day of competition with an astounding 3-point lead from first runner-up Skye Bakely. She even bested her own Core Hydration Classics score of 59.500 with a new 60.450 points. This is the highest score put up by any female athlete in the Olympic Cycle. It also broke the 60.00 score mark that was set since the 2021 US Olympic trials. Fulfilling Wright and Stanes’ wishes, she performed a Yurchenko double pike on the vault that gained her the highest score of the night at 15.800.

Simone Biles kept getting better as she secured 14.650 on uneven bars, 14.800 on balance beams, and finally 15.200 on the floor. Biles is just 4 routines away from making history as she gears up for her 9th US Crown title. Her routines were a breathtaking affair, and surely, her fans are more than happy to have witnessed such a long ordeal and witnessed it.

The timeless affection for Simone Biles over the years

Biles’ fans have always shown their admiration for her through sweet gestures. During an NFL Packers game last year, one fan dressed in a frozen cheese costume made a gift for Simone. It was a goat hat wearing a purple shirt with Olympics rings on the arm. The fan said, “You’re the greatest of all time (GOAT). I had to make you something, okay? You are the GOAT. This is for you.” It was a very wholesome interaction as Biles put the hat on her head. Even off-court, the adoration is evident. One creative director from LA Thomas R Wood shared a post of his 5-year-old daughter.

The child had written SMB on an envelope, the first time she had written anything else besides her name. The little girl also called Biles “the best.” Simone was visibly touched by this as she reposted the tweet with the caption, “this is the cutest omg my heart!!!” The little girl really touched Biles’ heartstrings. Biles, in the past, has also lent her support to the queer community. During one of her Asks on Instagram, one fan came out to her saying, “I still haven’t told my dad I’m gay even though everyone else in my family knows.” Biles replied to him with kindness, saying, “Tell him, be free, be yourself. I support you.”

She further added, “For anyone else struggling with telling family or friends, just know I will always welcome you with open arms on my page and platforms.” The man’s trust in Biles just speaks volumes of her exemplary character. Simone Biles also went to surprise an 11-year-old gymnast named Taylor. Taylor described Simone Biles as her inspiration, and just as she was doing a cartwheel, she was beyond overjoyed to see Biles right there holding a sign that read “Perfect 10”. The two embraced sweetly, and Taylor gushed about her role model. Biles fans have always been her biggest source of support and these interactions just prove their love for her. Her performances inspire fans and aspiring gymnasts globally, showcasing the transformative impact athletes like her have on the gymnastics world.

Just months after her exceptional silver medal performance behind gymnastics superstar Simone Biles at the 2023 U.S. Gymnastics Championships, 18-year-old Kaliya Lincoln’s Paris Olympic dreams hit a potential roadblock at the final major meet before June’s Olympic Trials.

Lincoln’s journey on the mat has been nothing short of remarkable. However, in a surprising turn of events, she has put a sudden pause to her ascending career by withdrawing from the Xfinity U.S. Gymnastics Championships after the first two rotations and petitioning for a Trials spot. This unexpected development raises questions about whether Lincoln, will be in peak form as she vies for one of the coveted spots for Paris.

“Kaliya Lincoln has withdrawn from the second day of #XfinityChamps and has petitioned to compete at Olympic Trials” read the X post by USA Gymnastics. Lincoln’s surprise exit robs her of valuable qualification points and casts a cloud over her Trials readiness just weeks out. The Xfinity meet had been her final chance to boost her national team claims before the Paris 2024 roster is finalized at Trials on June 27-30.

The teen starlet had been dubbed Biles’ likely successor after matching the GOAT’s senior career with a senior debut at the 2023 Winter Cup, continuing at the 2023 U.S. Classic and the 2023 National Championships. But Lincoln may now be forced to watch from home after her untimely Xfinity withdrawal. USA Gymnastics stayed tight-lipped on the specifics behind her withdrawal, offering no update on potential injuries or other issues.

Lincoln started her journey under the mentorship of her idol, US Gymnastics icon Gabby Douglas, when Lincoln was just 12. Her journey with Gabby Douglas began after she first saw the three-time Olympic champion during a TV show. They later met, and Douglas was the one who inspired Lincoln to dream about gymnastics.

After 2021, an unfortunate condition resulted in a two-year-long break from international competition for Kaliya Lincoln. Kaliya Lincoln’s recent performance at the National Training Centre showcased her exceptional skills and further cemented her status as a top contender. Her dazzling 6.5-floor routine at the World Gymnastics Championships Selection Camp garnered widespread acclaim on social media.

Fans highlighted her as a key player for Team USA. Netizens even crowned her with the title “Second Simone Biles”. With her impressive record, including two gold medals at the 2023 Pan American Games, Lincoln’s withdrawal might be signaling not a retreat but a strategic pivot as she aims for Olympic glory.

Shortly after the Xfinity gymnastics competition concluded on June 2, Sunday evening, USA Gymnastics announced that they approved Kaliya Lincoln’s petition to take part in the upcoming U.S. Olympic trials scheduled for later this month. It is anticipated that Lincoln will join Simone Biles, Skye Blakely, as well as 13 other gymnasts at the trials, which will commence on June 27th in the city of Minneapolis.

Empty seats and silent audiences at any sporting event are a huge morale dwindler and prominent stars like Noah Lyles and Sydney McLaughlin Levrone have faced the brunt of it. Gymnastics suffers the same fate too from time to time. Will Olympic dreams collide with unexpected silence at the Xfinity U.S. Gymnastics Championships? The anticipation was palpable as the event promised a spectacle of athleticism and Olympic dreams. With Simone Biles headlining the event, fans are eagerly waiting to witness the unparalleled grace on the mat. But contrasting with all the enthusiasm, an eerie silence pervaded the arena.

As to everyone’s disbelief, the empty stands dimmed the spectacle. Despite the queen of gymnastics reigning on the gymnastics floor, the roar from the stands was not loud enough to enlighten the electrifying performances. But why did Biles have to take center stage amidst an atmosphere of eerie quietude?

Simone Biles, a name synonymous with triumphs and roaring cheers in the gymnastics realm, took center stage in the U.S. Championship last Friday in Fort Worth, Texas. With gravity-defying stunts, Biles has already taken the lead. However, the absence of cheering fans left a void in the atmosphere. Recently an X post shared a snapshot of the empty stands of Fort Worth and added, “The arena is… empty”.

The tickets for the Xfinity U.S. Gymnastics Championships were available online for fans. The price for the tickets began from $239 for all eight sessions. The highest price reached approximately $10,000. This amount might be the reason behind the empty stands. Also, the tornado in Texas affected the area and left many people without power. This, in turn, might have affected the situation.

Besides Simone Biles, Gabby Douglas was on the list of contenders, but unfortunately, because of a sudden injury, she had to withdraw from the U.S. Championships 2024. The list is also graced by names like Shilese Jones, Jordan Chiles, Suni Lee, Jade Carey, Leane Wong, Yul Moldauer, Paul Juda, and many other extraordinary athletes.

A stadium filled with enthusiastic supporters often becomes a catalyst for the athletes’ positive mindset before their performance. As the Xfinity U.S. Gymnastics Championships unfolded against the backdrop of a deserted arena, fans couldn’t help but feel a sense of disappointment. And longing for the days when stadiums were filled with enthusiastic supporters. This holds true for the dismal plight prevailing in track and field as well, especially if we consider allusions to this interrelated problem in the sporting realm.

Noah Lyles, back in 2021, even admitted that his failure and underwhelming performance in the 200m was due to the lack of a viable crowd rooting for their favorite athletes. Notwithstanding Covid regulations, he simply stated that-“I don’t think you understand how lifeless it was in Tokyo to have no crowd there. It was dead silent,” which just goes to show how much of a buzzkill the dearth of fans causes to an athlete’s game. With no clarion calls or chants as such, he came in clutch with his rationale that –“I’ve competed in a stadium where the audience was silent and it was extremely weird, I think I would rather have nobody there.”

The same disappointing case prevailed with Sydney Levrone as well in the Oxy Invitational in LA this year. In her maiden voyage this year (her first ever hurdle race since August 2022) saw an acute paucity of traffic and turnover. While Levrone still gave it her all to emerge with a 12.71 in the 100mH, it still underscores that this issue is skin deep. Getting back to gymnastics, fans were visibly disheartened by this perennial problem and even chimed in with their two cents.

Gymnastics enthusiasts and netizens took to the comment section of the X post and shared their two cents on the matter. Referring to how direly vacant the stands are, one X user mentioned that even the first rows are empty. They commented, “Literally you could be sitting the first row.”

One fan mentioned their awkwardness while they watched the event on television. They highlighted that due to sparse applause in the nearly empty arena. “For real, the smattering of clapping after routines in that arena is so awkward on TV :/”, wrote the fan.

Expressing incredulity at the high ticket prices for an event in Fort Worth, Texas, one user shared an opinion. The user sarcastically commented, “Who wants to pay $10,000 for tickets to an event in the exotic, beautiful paradise of….Fort Worth.” Texas is not predominantly considered a luxurious location. The comment reflected the irony of such high costs for an event in a location that may not be perceived as glamorous.

One comment highlighted that the previous day of the event too experienced a similar scenario. The user expressed disappointment and wrote, “Damn I thought it would be significantly better than the men yesterday but it’s not.”

While the Paris Olympics are just a few weeks away, athletes are gearing up to showcase their athletic prowess at every event. Despite that, Fort Worth had to execute one of the most awaited gymnastics events amid haunting silence.