Jason Kelce admits he had doubts about Simone Biles ahead of 2024 Paris Olympics: ‘She’s getting old’
She is moving to “new heights”.
Jason Kelsey – who heads to the 2024 Paris Olympics with wife Kylie – admitted he doubted Simone Biles would be able to perform at her best at this year’s competition.
Jason explained on Wednesday’s premiere of his and brother Travis Kelsey’s “New Heights” podcast that he’s not sure how Biles, 27, will perform at the Games because she’s older than the other gymnasts competing.
“We have seen it like this every time [Team USA gymnastics] “I’m the girl who gets to do the floor routine and Simone Biles is the last person and I’m like, you know, she’s getting older. She’s a little bit … we’ll see what she looks like,” the 36-year-old former Philadelphia Eagles center told his brother.
Travis, surprised at Jason’s skepticism, told his brother that Biles was an “unusual” person – to which Jason immediately agreed.
“He’s phenomenal because he jumped higher than everybody else and he was second to none,” the retired NFL star said.
“Like, you watch all these people do floor routines, then finally Simone’s routine comes on and within the first three seconds you’re like, ‘Oh, this is different.'”
“He jumped five feet higher than everybody else,” he added.
Biles jumps up to a height of 12 feet while rolling on the floor.
Travis, 34, praised the Olympic champion, who withdrew from the 2020 Tokyo Olympics after suffering from the twisties, for becoming the most medal-winning Olympic gymnast in history at this year’s competition.
“It’s a really cool story, coming to terms with the past and everything that he’s had to go through, and feeling confident and getting back up again mentally,” Travis said. “It’s the best, man. So happy for him. And America is so proud of him, man.”
Jason agreed, saying that watching Team USA’s female gymnasts — who placed first in the team competition — receive their gold medals was “the highlight of the Olympics.”
Biles will win gold medals in the team final, individual all-around final, and vault final at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
She also won a silver medal in the floor routine.
She became the most decorated gymnast in history with a total of 11 Olympic medals and an additional 30 World Championship medals.
