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Olympic gymnastics star Simone Biles was among the many to be affected by the postponement of the Tokyo Olympics in 2020. However, destiny worked in favor of Biles, as she met her partner during the pandemic.

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Love was in the air as NFL star Jonathan Owens, who also lives in Texas, grew closer to Biles during the pandemic. Notably, during the unprecedented period, the two athletes stood shoulder to shoulder.

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Simone Biles and Jonathan Owens met with their furry family

The pandemic disrupted the training of athletes preparing for the mega-quadrennial games. Notably, it cut short their practice, locking them behind closed doors.

The same was the case for the reigning champion of gymnastics. At Rio Olympics 2016, Simone rose to the spotlight as she claimed five medals in her maiden appearance.?Looking forward to defending her titles in Tokyo, Simone had to settle for disappointment. However, in an interview during her Gold Over America tour, Biles opened up about how the pandemic helped her relationship grow.

Biles said, “It was during the pandemic so we kind of had that time to ourselves see if we like each other and then like since we’re with each other days on end it kind of works so we did take a little of time.”

“Everything was closed so we would just go to his house or my house and bring the dogs and he has a bulldog. I have two Bulldogs, so they all played. And we kind of were just like magnets,” Simone added.

Owens leaves no opportunity to send Biles his support

Recently, the athletic power couple completed a year together. Simone and Jonathan have always been super supportive of each other’s careers. Even when Simone was having a rough time in Tokyo, Jonathan sent her support through social media.

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Reuters

Back in Tokyo, Simone withdrew from most of her events, citing mental health concerns. Her move sparked a worldwide conversation surrounding the importance of players and their mental well-being. However, Simone also brought heavy criticism upon herself with her bold decision. Regardless, she made an eventual appearance and shushed her haters with a medal-winning performance.

Currently, Simone is traveling across 35 American cities for her Gold Over America tour. With an all-female star cast alongside, Biles aims at influencing the younger generation, bringing them closer to the sport.

As the tour reaches Texas, fans will look forward to a special appearance from Owens.

Read more: Simone Biles Claims Her Gymnastic Skills Are a ?God Given? Talent

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Shreya Verma

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Shreya Verma is a US Sports Content Strategist at EssentiallySports, with a focus on Olympic sports and athlete storytelling, covering beats like tennis, gymnastics, basketball, track and field, wrestling, and more. A qualified National Level air pistol shooter, she brings the unique perspective of both an athlete and a journalist to her work. Over the past four years at EssentiallySports, she has covered some of the biggest sporting stages, from managing the Olympic Sports desk during the Winter Olympics 2022 to spearheading the US Open 2025 coverage and content strategy. In 2024, she was on the ground in Paris for the Summer Olympics, where she interviewed legends and rising stars, including Carl Lewis, Laurie Hernandez, Fred Kerley, Noah Lyles, Quincy Hall, and Grant Holloway, who memorably offered her the chance to try on his gold medal. She also connected with icons and fan favorites such as Tom Brady, Katie Ledecky, Tara Davis & Hunter Woodhall, Andy Murray, Ilona Maher, Kevon Williams, Jonathan Owens, and Neeraj Chopra, while capturing emotional family perspectives from Nellie Biles, Jordan Chiles’ mother, Suni Lee’s mother, and Katie Ledecky’s brother, Michael. Her journalism is marked by authenticity, access, and a deep passion for highlighting perseverance and human connection in sports. Inspired by Olympic champions like Allyson Felix and Vincent Hancock, Shreya continues to carve her path as a storyteller.

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