Meet Jade Carey- The 24-Year-Old American Gymnast Ready to Scale New Heights at the 2024 Paris Olympics

At 24 years old, Jade Carey is returning to the Paris Olympics to defend her title in the Floor Exercise event. But who is she? And what has her Olympic journey been like? Let’s find out!

Carey initially made a name for herself by being noted as a powerhouse gymnast hailing from Phoenix, Arizona. Specializing in the Vault and Floor Exercise routines, the 24-year-old hopes to redefine what it means to be a champion when she takes center stage in Paris.

Starting her professional journey as a 17-year-old, Jade Carey won two Silver Medals at the 2017 World Championships. She has since climbed great heights in the world of gymnastics, becoming the sixth-most decorated American gymnast. A four-time National level silver medalist, Carey’s first individual gold in the World Championship came in 2022.

Competing in the Vault, she took home the title while also prepping for and partaking in college-level competitions. At 5’2″, Carey is among the smaller gymnasts in the competition but doesn’t lack a punch. In 2022 and 2023, she won the Pac-12 Gymnast of the Year award, alongside winning the Pac-12 Freshman of the Year in ’22.

A strong build-up to the 2024 Paris Olympics

From 2022-24, Jade Carey has been the finalist for the Honda Award, too. Moreover, the Phoenix native has won gold medals in vault and floor exercises for the American team and individually at the 2018 Pan American Championships.

In the build-up to the 2024 Olympics, she won three medals at the 2022 World Championships, which included two golds and one bronze. And in 2024, she won the American Classic all-around title following the NCAA season ended. Notably, Jade Carey only had three days to prepare for the NCAA Championships, but that was all she needed.

The gymnast earned the highest all-around score of 55.000 and the highest marks on both the Vault (14.200) and Floor routines (13.750). However, all of these achievements pale in comparison to what she did in Tokyo in 2020.

Jade Carey scaled new heights at the Tokyo Olympic Games

At the young age of 20, Carey experienced the highest of highs and the lowest of lows in sports, humbling her more than ever. A strong contender for the gold in the Vault category, she tripped on her first of two Vaults, ending her medal chances. Heartbroken, she had to muster the courage to get back on her feet as within the next 24 hours, she had to be back in competition for the Floor Exercise.

Vowing to go from sorrow to ecstasy, Carey decided to make the next day the best day of her life. Nailing her routine to perfection, Carey secured America’s third-consecutive gold in the Floor Exercise. In Paris, she will be looking to rewrite the history books by defending her title while also eyeing redemption in the Vault.

But heartbreak awaited Carey once again at the Olympics

Heading to Paris with a strong determination, Jade Carey faced the wrath of fate yet again. The floor routine saw her take a tumble and leave the confines of the mat, bringing her score down to 10.633. A poor score saw the defending champion in the Floor Exercise routine miss out on qualifying for the Finals.

Speaking to the official Olympics website, the 24-year-old revealed she has been sick for a while and competed in Paris while still ill. She revealed she hasn’t been able to eat anything in the last few days, which contributed to her uncharacteristic outing at the French capital.

However, her performance in the Vault discipline was much better, although still not up to her standards. Registering a score of 14.433, Carey managed to make it through to the Finals of the event in second place, behind compatriot Simone Biles.