Athletes Meet World-Champion Gymnast

Three Special Olympics Florida gymnasts from Miami-Dade County enjoyed a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity when they recently attended the Biles International Invitational and spent time with Olympic gold medalist and gymnastics legend Simone Biles.

Special Olympics Florida athletes Madison Bishop, Emilie German, and Micheline Davila joined more than 2,000 gymnasts from 25 states and 10 countries at the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston for a weekend of incredible competition. The highlight for our athletes was meeting Biles, who, with 11 Olympic and 30 World Champion medals, is the most decorated gymnast in history.

In 2025, Biles announced that this year the Biles International Invitational would feature athletes from the Hope Unites Gymnastics with Special Athletes (HUGS) program. HUGS is an initiative from USA Gymnastics that gives athletes with special needs the chance to participate in official competitions. It promotes inclusivity by inviting special needs athletes to participate alongside athletes without special needs at high-profile events.