SAN ANTONIO – Simone Biles, who led the U.S. Women’s Gymnastics team to a gold medal in the team final on Tuesday, has sparked excitement among the gymnastics community from the youngest athletes to longtime veterans and coaches.
In San Antonio, for some local athletes watching the women compete is not only exciting, but also inspiring, especially with the “comeback” of Biles.
Raigan, 9, is a level 5 gymnast and said she likes to imitate some of the moves that she’s been watching at the Summer Olympics.
“It encourages me,” Raigan said. “It encourages me to be like them one day. So I can watch them and learn stuff from them, so I can get to their place one day.”
It’s presently “preseason time” for competitors at the Southern Gymnastics Club in San Antonio, however, they were able to take a break between their training to watch the best of the best in gymnastics.
Coach Jeremy Veit, co-owner of the Southern Gymnastics Club, said what’s been happening at the Paris Olympics definitely hits close to home.
“They just fall in the fall in love with the sport a little bit more,” Veit said. “They get to be a part of something bigger than themselves, which is what team sports is all about. So, watching Simone and Jordan and Jade accomplish all their goals really makes us feel, a part of it. “
Sydney, 14, is a level 9 gymnast and said the Women’s Gymnastics team has been inspiring in so many ways.
“Some of the girls, like, have gone through things. And, I can kind of see how, like that didn’t stop them from making the Olympics. So, it kind of like helps me,” she said.
Gymnastics is a sport that Veit believes should be “top of mind” all the time and not just during the Olympics.
“Sports doesn’t have to be about gold medals,” Veit said. “They don’t have to be about the Olympics. They don’t have to be about college scholarships. Sports are about developing time management, discipline, work ethic, learning how to respond when you get knocked down and learning how to fight through adversity.”
