Reese Esponda didn’t expect to win in Hartford. Then, just before stepping onto the floor, a message from Simone Biles gave the 17-year-old something else to carry with her.

Esponda walked into the U.S. Classic on July 18 with modest expectations. She walked out with the biggest all-around win of her young career, scoring 54.900 to beat two-time Olympic gold medalist Jade Carey. But there was something else that stayed with her from that weekend: a simple message from Biles.

“Controlled power is everything,” Biles told her. For Esponda, those few words meant more than just advice from one gymnast to another. Biles was on vacation in the Dominican Republic when she sent the message. “It means a lot,” Esponda said. “It just kind of shows the type of person she is.”

That connection feels particularly fitting considering what Biles herself said nearly a decade ago. In 2017, Biles spoke about wanting to inspire the next generation of female athletes and encourage young women to chase their ambitions without giving up. At just 20 years old then, she understood the responsibility that came with being in the spotlight.

Now, nine years later, Esponda is one of those young athletes carrying that inspiration forward.

The moment (Biles sharing a message for her) also carried a little extra weight because Esponda has spent the past two years building her career at World Champions Centre, Biles’ family-owned gym in Texas. Before that move, the Montana native had trained under Chris Bushard at Roots Movement Arts Centre. She had already reached elite level, but felt she needed something more.

The change was a huge adjustment. Suddenly, Esponda was sharing a gym with Biles, Jordan Chiles and three-time Olympian Melanie de Jesus dos Santos.
“It was definitely crazy,” she recalled. “I walked into the gym, and they were all really welcoming. They gave me a lot of good advice.”

If we take a look back, Esponda has gone through multiple challenges this year. For example, while competing in Italy earlier this year, Esponda suffered a Lisfranc injury in her foot after an awkward landing. She spent about eight weeks in a boot, using crutches for part of that time. When she finally returned to full training, she had only five weeks to prepare for the Classic.

She somehow made them count. Even illness couldn’t derail her in Hartford. Esponda said she had been sick throughout the week and felt particularly unwell the day before the competition. Still, she went through with her routines and produced a career-best performance.

A reflection of Simone Biles ‘ never-give-up attitude? Perhaps! But now the challenge is bigger. The U.S. Championships run from August 6-9 in Phoenix, with a spot on the national team among Esponda’s main targets.

What did Reece Esponda say about her upcoming goals?

The U.S. Classic gave Esponda something far more valuable than a medal: momentum. Can she carry forward that momentum into the next event?

Esponda already knows exactly what she wants from the competition. “Staying on the national team, hitting eight for eight clean with good execution,” she said. “And I may add one upgrade.”

That upgrade could come on floor, where she hopes to bring back a whip-to-double-layout combination she competed earlier in Italy but did not have enough time to restore before the Classic.

Her ambitions, however, extend beyond one skill…

Esponda knows that making a national team isn’t simply about having a spectacular floor routine or a strong vault. She wants to become more reliable across the entire lineup, particularly on bars and beam, while also growing into the role of a teammate and leader.

And then there is the long-term dream…

Los Angeles 2028 is sitting quietly in the background. At 17, Esponda still has plenty of time before the home Olympics arrive. She isn’t getting ahead of herself, either. “A lot can happen in two years,” she said. “I kind of just take it one day at a time and focus on what’s coming next. But that’s definitely always been the goal.”

For someone who has already gone from Montana to one of America’s biggest gymnastics gyms, fought through an injury and then surprised herself with a national-level victory, the next chapter could be just as unpredictable.

And perhaps somewhere along the way, another message from Biles might be waiting.