The Bears on Sunday honored seven members of Team USA who competed at the 2024 Paris Olympic and Paralympic Games with a halftime celebration at Soldier Field.
Six of those Olympians are Illinois natives, who proudly represented not only their country but their home state this summer in a variety of sports. Among the honorees were Ryan Held (Swimming), Lauren Carlini (Volleyball), Evita Griskenas (Rhythmic Gymnastics), Shamier Little (Track & Field), Noelle Malkamaki (Para Track & Field - Shot Put) and Jeff Jendryk (Volleyball), who could not be in attendance Sunday.
Held is a two-time gold medalist in the 4x100m freestyle relay, helping Team USA to victory in 2024 and in the Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games in 2016. As a setter, Carlini helped the women's volleyball team to a silver medal this year. Jendryk, a middle blocker, was part of the men's volleyball team's that took home bronze.
Griskenas is a rhythmic gymnast who competed in both the Paris 2024 and Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. Little is a two-time Olympic gold medalist who ran in the 4x400m women's relay and 4x400m mixed relay in Paris. Malkamaki also won gold this year in Shot Put F46.
"This means a lot," Little, who grew up on Chicago's South Side, said. "It's just putting more recognition to my face — getting to see my city, being in another atmosphere with another sport. It just feels really good. … It's so cool. We're really in an elite club. We're Olympians and then were Illinoisans, so it just makes it that much more special to celebrate together."
Simone Biles — the most decorated gymnast in history and wife of Bears safety Jonathan Owens — was also honored alongside the six Illinoisans. Biles, a native of Texas, is an 11-time Olympic medalist and brought home four medals from Paris, including gold in the all-around, vault and team competitions.
Biles was also in attendance to support Owens, who started against the Lions Sunday and recorded a forced fumble and fumble recovery in the first quarter. Owens celebrated the takeaway by hitting a salute pose in the end zone to honor Biles.
