Meeting Simone Biles might feel like a dream come true for many, but for Georgia Gymnastics, that dream actually became a reality. Simone has always been open about how solid her relationships are with the people in her life—whether it’s her friends, teammates, family, husband, or coaches. One person who’s played a huge role in Simone’s success is Cecile Landi, who coached her through both the Tokyo and Paris Olympics. Although Cecile is now the co-head coach at Georgia Gymnastics after leaving Simone’s WCC gym, there’s no bad blood between them. Simone deeply appreciates everything Cecile did for her, and recently, she made sure to show her gratitude by returning the favor.

Cecile Canqueteau-Landi might not have coached college athletes before, but her experience with Olympians speaks for itself. Having been Simone Biles’ personal coach for eight years, Simone knew she had to show up for Cecile as she stepped into her first NCAA season as head coach at Georgia. So, Simone didn’t hesitate—she booked the private from Texas to Athens, bringing along her husband, Jonathan Owens, to show some love and support. And guess what? Simone’s visit seemed to work some magic because Georgia Gymnastics absolutely dominated that game. After the win, Cecile, clearly touched by Simone’s gesture, shared some heartfelt words for her.

Cecile Landi celebrates victory with Simone Biles

The GymDogs faced Boise State in a match in which they emerged victorious with a score of 196.825 points. On the other side, Boise State could only amass 193.600 points. Having worked with Cecile Landi, the GymDogs also posted good scores — 48.975 on the vault, 49.375 on bars, 49.100 on beams, and 49.375 on the floor.

Boise State, despite the team’s intense and desperate defense during parts of the first half, couldn’t get to that level. They were 48.575 on the vault, and 49.125 on bars, thus good on beam 48.700 and comparatively lower on floor 47.200. It was really on the beam and floor where Boise State lost grip, and then Georgia came to take the lead. This win would indeed be quite welcoming for Cecile after a not-so-good start with Georgia in her first match.

After the win, Cecile posted her excitement on Instagram, and you could just tell how much this victory meant to her. She reposted a story from Georgia Gymnastics where Simone Biles is seen wearing a GymDogs jersey, and Jonathan Owens is seen standing beside her on the stage. The post was captioned, “A big W at home was made even more special by an appearance from Simone Biles!”

If you were to watch Simone and Jonathan up on that stage, you could tell that everyone present was captivated. With their arms moving sideways they jumped; that energy was incredible and the roar of “GO DAWGS” was loud enough to fill Stegeman Coliseum. The audience enjoyed each moment of it and clapped together with the two of them. Cecile, feeling the vibe, couldn’t help but caption the moment, “A dawg.” But Cecile wasn’t done celebrating just yet.

Cecile shared another story with a picture of Simone, her husband Laurent Landi (who had also coached Simone), and herself. The caption read, “Thank you for coming to Athens” with a heart emoji. You could feel the love and appreciation in her words, and it was clear that the Landi family’s bond with Simone was strong. But none of this support would be possible without Jonathan Owens’ help.

Not only Biles, but Jonathan Owens stands strong in support

From the year 2017 up to August 2024, it was Simone Biles and Cecile Landi who supported each other in every fight in the professional life of Simone. That is why, despite the fact that their working interactions have differed, Simone did not want to part ways with the former French gymnast who became a coach. In a heartfelt farewell message to Cecile, Simone wrote, “End of an era [emoji] it’s not a goodbye, it’s a see you later!”

The next time they met, it wouldn’t be about Simone’s Yurchenko Double Pike, but about life. That’s why it made perfect sense for Simone to be at GymDog’s home meet, supporting Cecile—someone who not only helped Simone on the floor but also became a close friend. And, of course, Jonathan Owens was right there too, showing his old habits of support.

During the meet, Simone couldn’t help but document the experience, especially as Jonathan returned to his viral habit from the Paris Olympics—taking notes. He’d gone viral during those Olympics for tracking scores and taking notes while cheering on Simone, and here he was again, paying attention to every detail, even though Simone wasn’t on the mat. “That’s a student of the game right there,” Simone remarked, appreciating his dedication.

Not only did Jonathan continue his note-taking tradition, but he also went above and beyond in supporting Cecile, wearing custom shirts while sitting next to Simone with participating in every event. The support in this relationship goes both ways—Simone has always been there for Cecile, and now with Jonathan Owens by her side, it was clear the couple’s presence made the day all the more special for Cecile Landi.