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Simone Biles returns to US soil with hero's welcome

Crowds went to the airport to greet Simone Biles and teammate Jordan Chiles. Then crowds gathered in Spring for their return there.

HOUSTON — Houston's hometown heroes are back home today.

We were live at Houston’s Bush Airport, where gymnasts Simone Biles and Jordan Chiles returned from the Olympics in Tokyo to a warm reception.

Biles brought home a silver medal in the team competition and a bronze in the balance beam. 

Chiles also won a silver medal in the team competition.

Biles was all smiles exiting the jet way with flowers in hand. But what she didn’t know was that members of her Spring World Champions Centre would be here to surprise her.

And they gave her a hero’s welcome coming down the escalator. She had huge hugs for family and her dogs, too!

And she had a simple request.

“Well, we wanna have some steaks!” she said.

Simone did not stop to talk to the media but we were able to catch up with her sister and friend and some of the young members of her gym who couldn’t be prouder of their hero and are just happy she’s home.

“Very, very emotional,’ said Simone’s sister, Rachel. “Good to have her back.”

“We miss her, but we’re really proud that for she put her mental health before her gymnastics,” said a young gymnast who was there to greet her.

Now we heard her sister and friend say that she’s probably going to take some well-deserved time off and then might be getting ready to tour after that.

And if Biles' welcome at Bush Airport wasn’t enough, some of her biggest fans in Spring threw her a small parade.

"Simone Biles is literally my idol," said Kamryn Ketchens. “It makes me feel like there are such little kids out there that want to be like her."

“When you see her competing at the Olympics and all the amazing things she’s accomplished how does that make you feel?” asked KHOU 11's Xavier Walton.

"I just want to learn the things she can do and be inspired and live by what she does,” said Ketchens as she wiped away tears.

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