Simone Biles Defends Husband Jonathan Owens After Backlash Over Gold Medal Photos
Simone Biles’ husband, Jonathan Owens, faced criticism from fans after sharing photos of himself wearing Biles’ gold medal on social media. On July 30, Owens posted a series of images celebrating Biles’ historic achievement of becoming the most decorated American gymnast in Olympic history. His caption read, “Witnessing history every time you step on the mat. Congrats baby on becoming the most decorated American gymnast in Olympic history!!!! Just wow!!!! 8 of them!!!!! So thankful I was there to see it,” accompanied by flame and heart-eye emojis.
The post drew a wave of negative reactions from fans who felt Owens was inappropriately showcasing Biles’ medal. Comments included, “Give the medal back bby that’s not yours,” and “There’s something very unsettling about you wearing her medal. Seems off. Give it back to her immediately.” Other fans chimed in with remarks like, “Why is he holding it like he won it?” and “That’s Simone’s gold medal you’re holding, not yours my guy.”
Despite the backlash, Biles, 27, showed her support for her husband in the comments. She wrote, “My whole heart. I love you,” with four red heart emojis, emphasizing her appreciation for his presence and support.
The criticism intensified after TikTok star Kiera Breaugh posted a video on July 31, urging Owens to “take her medal off,” which garnered over 450,000 likes. In response, Biles addressed the controversy on August 1, the same day she won gold in the women’s individual all-around gymnastics competition. She defended Owens by explaining, “Crazy thing is, I put my medal on every single one of my family members and took pictures. So don’t ever make assumptions. Like y’all are so f–king miserable. Leave us alone.”
Biles and Owens, who met on the dating app Raya in March 2020, quickly bonded during the pandemic. Owens described their relationship’s rapid development in a 2021 interview with Texas Monthly, saying, “We ended up hanging out right before the pandemic. It was one of the few times in her life where everything was just shut off and she couldn’t do anything.” He proposed in February 2022, and they married at a Houston courthouse in April 2023 before celebrating with a destination wedding in Mexico.
Owens also faced criticism for comments made in a December 2023 interview on “The Pivot,” where he referred to himself as “the catch” in the relationship. He remarked, “It’s really how she pulled me, man. That’s the question,” and acknowledged initially being unfamiliar with gymnastics. Despite the backlash, Biles defended her husband during an interview on Alex Cooper’s “Call Her Daddy” podcast. She described Owens as “the sweetest” and expressed hurt over the public’s negative response. “That really hurt that they were talking about my husband like that,” she said. “For me, it’s like, talk about me all you want, but don’t come for my family, never.”
Biles remains supportive of her husband, emphasizing their strong bond and the positive impact he has on her life despite the criticism they face.
