Trains, planes and automobiles bring two fans across the globe to see Simone Biles at U.S. Gymnastics Championships
Not even more than 30 hours of travel could keep gymnastics fans Courtney Wright and Zara Stanes, both of whom live in Australia, from seeing gymnastics superstar Simone Biles and the 2024 U.S. Gymnastics Championships live in Ft. Worth, Texas.
The duo began their more than 10,000 miles of travel from Perth on Wednesday afternoon, flying first to Singapore, a five-and-a-half hour flight, then to Los Angeles, adding another 15 hours in the air.
Weather delayed them there the following morning, turning a planned two-and-a-half trip to Ft. Worth into "an eight hour ordeal."
They were, then, turned away at the rental car agency and forced to Uber to their hotel.
But the trip has been in the works for much longer.
"The journey really began when Simone came back last year, and I went, 'This is it. We've got I feel like one more opportunity to see her compete in person.'" Wright told Olympics.com Friday (31 May), having slept just three hours. "I messaged Zara because she's always willing to go along with my crazy ideas, and I said, 'Let's go to nationals next year.'"
They booked their travel last September with dreams of seeing one particular piece of gymmnastics from Biles: "The Yurchenko double pike," they both say.
Wright and Stanes have both followed Biles since her international debut in 2013.
"I have really been following her from the very beginning," said Wright. "So, it's really, really cool to be able to watch her in person today."
And nothing - not delays or lack of sleep or stormy weather - can dull the excitement.
"We made it, and that's what matters," said Wright.
