Hoda Kotb Might Have Been The Most Animated Spectator At These Olympic Trials Over The Weekend

When Simone Biles earned a spot in her third Olympic Games, it seemed that no one was cheering louder than Hoda Kotb. In fact, the Today co-host may be Team USA’s biggest booster. 

The Today host was filmed in the stands of the U.S. Olympic Gymnastics Trials in Minneapolis on Sunday cheering, stress eating, and generally rooting for all the gymnasts vying for a chance to represent the U.S. at the Paris Olympics. 

After two days of competition, the team was set: Texas native Simone Biles, Jordan Chiles, Jade Carey, Hezly Rivera, and former Auburn Tiger Suni Lee,  the Tokyo Olympics all-around champion, were selected to represent Team USA, according to NBC. Joscelyn Roberson and Leanne Wong were named as alternates.

Kotb was in the crowd cheering them all on. "That girl's going," Kotb exclaimed as she watched one of the gymnasts perform a death-defying stunt during the try-outs, according to a compilation of her reactions shared on social media. "Come on!"

When Lee delivered a stellar uneven bar routine, Kotb was out of her seat and whooping, whistling, and even throwing her fist in the air in her excitement and enthusiasm.

As excited as she was in the stands, cheering on the gymnasts, Kotb was even more enthusiastic in behind-the-scenes shots before her interview with the newly-minted Olympic Team members. In a clip shared on Instagram, she can be seen dancing and hugging the gymnasts.

In the interview, which aired July 1, Kotb sat down with the team, including Biles. While very much still a dominant force in gymnastics, Biles,  at 27 years old, will be the oldest female American gymnast to compete at the Olympics in 72 years. She also feels like she has a lot to prove and is eager to bring home the gold after the U.S. won the team silver in the 2021 Tokyo Olympics. “I feel like a little bit of a redemption tour,” she told Kotb when she joined her teammates for the interview. “In Tokyo, we all didn’t have our best performances, so we’re excited to go out there and kill it.” There's no doubt that Kotb will be out there cheering for them.