While Jade Carey may have earned Olympic gold on floor exercise at 21, it all began at age 2. But what really was the X factor behind her run?

“My parents,” revealed the Oregon gymnast, in an interview with Theresa Hogue on May 29, 2026. “My dad has been my coach since I was a little girl. And always encouraged me to work hard and trust the process. My parents always reminded me to have fun with gymnastics.”

Despite making her elite debut at 17, Carey actually started the sport as a 2-year-old at her parents’ gym. Her father, Brian Carey, currently serves as an assistant coach for the women’s gymnastics department at Oregon State University.

In fact, Carey’s mother, Danielle Mitchell-Greenberg, is also a former gymnast. She runs the USA Youth Fitness Center in Gilbert, Arizona, as a coach and director. So, inspiration was built into her childhood.

Carey is not only a 3x Olympic medalist, but also a 12-time NCAA All-American and a 13-time Regular Season All-American at OSU. Carey was the 13th gymnast in NCAA history to achieve a "Gym Slam" (perfect 10 on every event).

Early exposure breeds mastery. And that is all thanks to her parents again, who caught the wind of it early.

How Jade's Parents Spotted Her Talent

The 2025 AAI Award winner, two-time Pac-12 Gymnast of the Year and 2025 WGCA West Regional Gymnast of the Year, Carey, started the sport early indeed. But it wasn’t only because her parents were coaches.

“Her dad and I were watching TV. And all of a sudden, oop, there goes a cartwheel,” Carey’s mother explained in 2021, on the Today Show. “We looked at each other, and I said, ‘Did you teach her that?’ and he said, ‘No, did you?’ and I said, ‘No.' So I think we kind of knew at that point.”

Jade's natural talent needed only the right environment to flourish. And soon, what started as a living room cartwheel resulted in Olympic gold.

But do you think we’ll watch her compete at the 2028 LA Olympics? Let us know in the comments.

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Written by

Deblina Roy