As gymnast Simone Biles prepares to compete in her first Olympics in Rio, the American team that won the sport’s gold medal 20 years ago is rallying behind her.
The Magnificent Seven—the members of the 1996 U.S. women’s gymnastics team—recently spoke to TIME about Biles’ potential, with one noting that “there has never been anyone more heavily favored for the Olympic games’ all-around title.”
Read More: The Olympic Gymnast Who Overcame a Drug-Addicted Mother
Jaycie Phelps, who has known Biles since she was a child, spoke about how the 19-year-old’s talent has always been apparent. “You can tell in a gymnast when they’ve got something,” Phelps said. “When I was coaching, I knew her as a younger gymnast and she always had this incredible talent. Everybody looked at her and said that kid’s going to do something big some day.”
Watch the video above for more.
- Alison Roman Won't Sugarcoat It
- If Donald Trump Is Indicted, Here's What Would Happen Next in the Process
- The World's Greatest Places of 2023
- Exclusive: Effective Altruist Leaders Were Repeatedly Warned About Sam Bankman-Fried Years Before FTX Collapsed
- Who Should Be on the 2023 TIME100? Vote Now
- Postmaster General Louis DeJoy's Surprising Second Act
- Gaslighting, Narcissist, and More Psychology Terms You're Misusing
- In This Texas County, There's No Such Thing as Moving on From COVID-19
- In Defense of Nora Ephron's Unfairly Panned Heartburn Movie
- Want Today's Top Headlines in Your Inbox? Sign Up for The Brief
