When US gymnast Simone Biles made her comeback on the tumbling floor of the Paris Olympics on Sunday, it was more than just her skill that shined.
The seven-time medallist and her four teammates – Suni Lee, Jordan Chiles, Jade Carey, and Hezly Rivera – all arrived in dark blue leotards adorned with 47,000 Swarovski crystals.
The sparkly leotard – which is part of a set of five – was designed by a Pennsylvania-based company called GK Elite Sportswear and it took the company two years to design and make, according to The Washington Post.
Each leotard cost around $3,000 (£2,300) for every member of the USA team, The Post reported. It is among the most expensive Olympic uniform of all time.
The dazzling sequined costumes come in three different colours – red, white, and blue – in an obvious nod to the American flag.
The athletes have said in previous interviews that their captain, Biles, gets to choose what leotard they wear for the team events, while the gymnasts themselves to choose their own for the individual events.
The women did not know what their uniform would look like until after they earned their spots on the US Olympic team three weeks before the start of the Games.
A video posted on the team’s official TikTok account shows the gymnasts’ reactions to their leotards as they unboxed them.
“This is beautiful. You guys killed these leos! [leotards],” Biles says in the video.
Annie Heffernon, vice president of the women’s program at USA Gymnastics, told The Post: “I think about how special the moments are, especially the Olympic Games, with it only being once every four years, and how they’re going to feel.”
“Regardless of their performance, I want them to feel amazing and beautiful when they go out and represent the U.S. in a leotard that they can be proud of.”
The star-studded American team will look to reclaim gold on Tuesday before the start of the individual events on Thursday.
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