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Simone Biles
Simone Biles
@simonebiles via Instagram
Culture

Simone Biles Fans, Don’t Hold Your Breath For An Opening Ceremony Appearance

Siobhan Robinson

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, besties, but Team USA’s very own star gymnast Simone Biles didn’t make it to the 2024 Summer Olympics opening ceremony on July 26. Since fans are rooting for her so fiercely, her absence at the opening ceremony absolutely did not go unnoticed. So, why was she not there with so many of her teammates?

The truth is simple: Biles decided to skip out on the opening ceremony to prepare for the women’s gymnastics qualifiers on July 28 — which is totally understandable, considering that’s only two days after the opening ceremony date. She’s got bigger fish to fry!

Plus, there were plenty more athletes to watch out for duing the opening ceremony. Team USA has around 592 athletes, with most of them who participated in the Parade of Nations portion of the opening ceremony. Also, while the countries continued to be represented on the world stage through the broadcast, Biles was there in spirit as her parents attended and even spoke with TODAY’s Hoda Kotb and rapper Snoop Dogg to give an update about Biles.

“[Simone] is feeling really good,” Biles’ mom, Nellie, said. “I spoke to her this morning and she’s feeling great.”

Don’t worry; there will be plenty of time to watch Biles now that the Games have officially begun. After the qualifying event, the journey for the women’s gymnastics team at the Olympic Games will continue with the women’s team final on July 30. Biles will of course be competing alongside teammates including Sunisa Lee, Jordan Chiles, Jade Carey, and 16-year-old Olympics newbie Hezly Rivera. 

Then, on Aug. 1, viewers can watch the women’s all-around final, followed by the women’s vault final on Aug. 3. The women’s uneven bars final will take place on Aug. 4. The last day for women’s gymnastics will be Aug. 5 and will feature the women’s balance beam final along with the women’s floor exercise final.

Even though Simone Biles wasn’t in attendance, fans continue to express their support ahead of her upcoming competition on Twitter.  

It sounds like Biles is putting in the work to prepare for the 2024 Summer Olympics and I can’t wait to see what she brings to this year’s events!

Siobhan Robinson is a member of the Her Campus national writing program. She works on the Entertainment and Culture team, covering the most recent pop culture events, trends, and entertainment releases. Previously, she worked as an Entertainment and Culture intern during the Spring 2023 semester, where she was supervised in writing breaking news verticals, live coverage of events such as the Grammys and Met Gala, and interviewing emerging Gen Z talent for Her Campus's "Next Questions" segment. She graduated Magna Cum Laude in Spring 2024 with a B.A. in Communication Studies from San Jose State University and received communication honors for completing a graduate-level course during her undergraduate studies. While in college, she was an active member of the SJSU chapter of Her Campus, serving on the executive board as Editor-In-Chief. In this role, she supervised a team of writers, senior editors, and copy editors, and assessed their articles for the site. Previously, she served as a senior editor, supervising a team of 4-5 writers, and also worked as a campus correspondent for the entire chapter. Additionally, she contributed to the school's publication magazine, Access, and became a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated. In her free time, Siobhan enjoys scrapbooking, hanging out with friends, going to concerts, and, of course, writing for fun! A die-hard fangirl, she loves sharing everything she knows about her favorite boy bands, even if you don't ask. If you need her, you'll likely find her binge-watching the latest K-drama.