The following story originally appeared in the February 2026 issue of Inside Gymnastics magazine.

Built for the Journey, Enjoying the PRESENT

Just inside the entrance of Gill Coliseum is a larger-than-life banner of Jade Carey donning bright orange and black decked out in sequins. She smiles when she looks at it, and laughs when she tells us she also used to be on Reser Stadium right next door, but since her time as a student athlete is now complete, they had to take it down.

Her smile and laugh are emblematic of Jade’s new era. Because for all of her success as a two-time Olympic Champion for Team USA and as the most decorated gymnast ever to step on the gymnastics floor at Oregon State University, one thing has remained a constant for Jade throughout her career: she’s stayed true to her own goals, and most importantly, to herself. Cool, calm, and collected as an athlete, she’s also a joy to just spend time with on or off the floor.

Afterall, what ultimately makes Jade so special isn’t her athletic prowess, but her character. She’s an extraordinary human who just happens to have accomplished extraordinary things. In an iconic journey, Jade’s career is framed by her resilience, her love for the sport, and her devotion to those who have supported her unique path to stardom.

While touring campus on a beautiful Saturday morning in Corvallis in search of the most meaningful spots to capture the perfect photo—she chose outside of historical Weatherford Hall as one of her favorites—we asked Jade what her favorite moment was during her time as a student athlete. As we strolled past Student Legacy Park and the intramural fields where a rousing ultimate frisbee game was just getting started, her answer, and the telling smile that preceded it, told you everything you need to know about who Jade is. “I would say the growth of the fans who come to watch gymnastics here now.”

It was Oregon State and its inviting atmosphere that restored Jade’s joy for gymnastics. And it’s Oregon State that she still loves calling home. Giving back to the team and the family that has given her so much, she said, and being able to carry on that joy for her teammates as a coach and share it with her fans as well, is something she cherishes daily. “The support from everyone really goes a long way, and it means a lot,” she said. “As gymnasts, we have obviously sacrificed a lot. To accomplish our dreams and get where we are, the support from everyone outside really does make a difference. It’s just really special to have such an audience that is supportive and wants to see me do well.”

With so much accomplished and so much ahead, when we asked what headline she’d use to describe her career and life lately, she told us she wanted to think about it just a bit. The next day, she had it ready. “Built for the journey, enjoying the present,” she said. “Because it’s who I am now in this stage of my life and career.”

Her Own Way

With Jade, the list of accolades really could go on forever. She’s a three-time Olympic medalist, seven-time World medalist, two-time Pac-12 Gymnast of the Year, and the 2024 NCAA All-Around runner-up. Wrapping up her NCAA career last spring, her confidence, her humility, and her ability to get the job done became her trademarks. Although she’s allowed herself a few moments here and there to look back on her career and recognize just how significant her accomplishments really are, she admits it’s still not quite in her nature.

“Now that my college career is over and those memories come up, I do look back at even when I was level 10 and the next year I was at World Championships—in the moment I didn’t realize how crazy that was and how fast that all happened. I could be better at being proud of myself for how far I’ve come. It’s crazy to think back at how it all started and where I am now. It’s definitely not what I would have thought at 16 years-old, but it’s all been really fun!”

Jade’s journey through the sport was never a traditional one. All by design.

Coming onto the Elite scene in 2017, seemingly out of nowhere, almost no one could’ve predicted all that she would achieve. Not only did she launch her Elite career by being named to the World Championships team, she also won two World silver medals, one on vault and one on floor. Three months into her senior international career, she was suddenly capturing her own headlines and on the fast track to the Games. The following year, she began her quest to qualify to Tokyo as an individual athlete, where she would ultimately become the Olympic floor champion. But it wasn’t easy.

Jade’s dad, Brian Carey, has coached her throughout her career, and their plan has always been to do things their own way together, no matter what pressure others put on them to take a different path. From early days training at home with Arizona Sunrays to Oregon State, where Brian became an assistant coach in 2023, Brian has guided and helped propel Jade to be her very best exactly when she needed to be on the world’s largest stages.

He’s been my coach for a really long time, and we’re really good at separating dad and coach, which is how we’ve been able to make it work and be so successful,” she said. “He does a lot of work and research behind the scenes, and knows me best of probably anyone. He’ll do everything possible to get me there. I really appreciate all the extra work that he puts in, more than just coaching me in the gym. It’s really special to be able to share all these memories and experiences with him.”