A Simone Biles text inspires Reese Esponda's gymnastics. So does her fairy box.
Reese Esponda leads a new generation of U.S. gymnasts looking to make their mark on the way to LA 2028.
On July 19, Reese Esponda faced the U.S. Classic gymnastics meet in Phoenix, motivated by a text message from Simone Biles. Biles encouraged Esponda to believe in herself and harness her power. Despite being ill with a left foot injury, Esponda made a surprising and historic victory, becoming the youngest winner of Classic at the age of 17.
Her win came as Biles, along with fellow 2024 Olympians Suni Lee and Jordan Chiles, were temporarily absent. Esponda's trainer, Stephen Lew-Imagn, noted that Biles often shared tips on controlling her power during training. Esponda's journey began when she saw Gabby Douglas win the 2012 Olympic all-around gold at the age of 3. She started gymnastics at a preschool class in Helena, Montana, and later joined the prestigious World Champions Centre (WCC) in Texas, where Biles was training for the Paris Games.
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