2024 Paris Olympics: U.S. gymnasts have a secret weapon that is not Simone Biles

PARIS — During their first official practice here Thursday at the Summer Olympics, the United States women’s gymnastics team’s talent and experience was evident. On display were the high difficulty routines and flawless performances that make them gold medal favorites.

That was training.

Do they also have a secret weapon when … sleeping?

To help provide comfort from both the famed cardboard beds of the Olympic Village and the heat of a Parisian summer, the team members are spending their nights on special mattress toppers designed to provide a cool resting experience.

USA Gymnastics partnered with BedJet, which supplied the five-member team with their “Comfort Sleep System” that “attaches to any bed and uses air combined with a patented Cloud Sheet to rapidly wick away body heat and sweat trapped in the bed for fast cooling relief and improved sleep.”

It sounds good, but does it work?

Apparently so.

“[They are] sleeping better already,” said Cecile Landi, the personal coach of Simone Biles. “The girls were super happy. It’s been really good.”

In an effort to deliver the most environmentally friendly and self-sustaining Olympics in modern times, local organizers did not equip the athlete village with air conditioning. Additionally, all furniture is made of pressed cardboard that can be recycled after the Games.

That may be good for sustainability but not so much for athletes in need of recovery and rest.

“I sat on [the bed] and said, ‘Oh, oh my God. Help,’” Landi said. “[Additionally] temperature wise, it was just a little harsh. We just needed some comfort.”

Many athletes from around the world, including the U.S. gymnasts, brought their own air conditioners to chill the air. The gymnasts, though, are uniquely advantaged by the BedJet topper.

BedJet was founded in Newport, Rhode Island. In 2015, its inventor, Mark Aramli, appeared on ABC’s “Shark Tank” seeking investment help but was panned by most of the sharks and left without a deal. “The product is dead already,” Shark Kevin O’Leary said at the time.

The company wound up thriving anyway and now experiences strong sales and positive reviews from customers.

That now apparently includes Simone Biles, Suni Lee, Jade Carey, Jordan Chiles and Hezly Rivera, who are not just training for gold, but resting up for it as well.