Sharing six Paris Olympics gold medals between them, Gabby Thomas and Simone Biles were some of Team USA’s most successful athletes at this year’s Summer Games. So sports fans were delighted to spot Biles and Thomas supporting Caitlin Clark-led Indiana Fevers against their clash with the Connecticut Sun in late August. Now months after their meeting, Thomas has divulged the details of her inspiring evening with the GOAT.

“I’ve always been a Simone fan… even more so after Tokyo,” revealed Thomas. The gymnastics icon’s bid to speak out about her mental health at Tokyo 2020 and advocate for fair treatment of athletes inspired Thomas in 2021. However, meeting the seven-time Olympic gold medalist in person was an even better experience for the track star.

Thomas revealed that she and Simone Biles could meet to show their support for the WNBA thanks to a common sponsor. While she didn’t name the sponsor, they provided the 27-year-old with an opportunity she couldn’t pass up. “I had to chat with her,” said the five-time Olympic medalist. As the duo chatted, Thomas recalled gleaning some important lessons from Simone Biles.

“She shared with me how to advocate for myself, how it’s okay to say no, how I should be proud of my bronzes and silvers, not to let people forget, that’s part of the journey,” Thomas said during her appearance on Ali on the Run. What surprised Thomas was how much wiser beyond her years Biles sounded. “She just had so much wisdom to share,” said the 200m specialist.

“I know we’re the same age, but I know she’s further ahead in her career than me, athletically. So I really felt like I got to learn from her,” added the three-time Olympic gold medalist. Biles’s return to the top at Paris 2024, after her disastrous withdrawal at Tokyo, had already inspired the track and field star. However, meeting the gymnastics GOAT in person was a transformative and “impactful” experience. Yet Thomas wasn’t the only one in awe of Biles on August 29.

How the Indiana Fever reacted to meeting Simone Biles and Gabby Thomas

The sponsors that united the track and gymnastics icons also helped them surprise the Indian Fever basketball team. Celebrities and sports personalities attending other sporting events aren’t rare. However, it’s quite rare when trailblazers of women’s sports come together to congratulate their fellow female athletes right after their success.

The Caitlin Clark-led Fever squad was already pumped after beating the odds and their opponents, the Connecticut Suns. After all, the only time the Fever got the better of their rivals in their last six meetings was on August 29. However, what made the occasion even more special was Simone Biles and Gabby Thomas, who were waiting to congratulate the team.

“The squad was ecstatic to meet Simone Biles and Gabby Thomas after our win at @GainbridgeFH (Gainbridge Fieldhouse),” the official Indiana Fever X account posted. They uploaded a video of the players stumbling upon the two Olympic icons. The video captured the reactions of Caitlin Clark, Victaria Saxton, Aliyah Boston, and others.

The Indiana Fever players literally jumped with joy at the opportunity to meet Simone Biles and Gabby Thomas. So the eleven-time Olympic medalist didn’t just inspire the track and field star on August 29. And if the Harvard graduate’s words are true, then Biles must’ve inspired the WNBA players with her presence.