Hoda Kotb brought the Team USA gymnasts an extra dose of good luck at the balance beam finals on Tuesday.
While taking in the Olympic action from the stands, the TODAY co-anchor served up plenty of energy as she cheered and waved a star-studded item of clothing around in the air. And as it turns out, that good-luck charm holds a pretty special meaning for the mother of two.
During an interview with the team on Tuesday morning, Hoda revealed that she was waving around a piece from her daughter Haley Joy's wardrobe.
"So this is what I was waving. This is my daughter's dress. She put it in my luggage for good luck, so I took it to the meet and I just started twirling it around and it gave me good luck for all of you," she explained.
The gymnasts then let out a collective "Aww" as they listened to the sweet story.
Last week, Hoda shared a photo on Instagram of herself clutching the pint-sized dress and captioned the post "When ur daughter packs one of her dresses in your bag!"
During a chat with her TODAY with Hoda & Jenna co-host Jenna Bush Hager, Hoda revealed that Haley also packed several other items of her own clothing to give her mom a taste of home, including a pair of cat socks and a pair of pajamas.
While talking with Team USA, Hoda's maternal instincts definitely kicked in and she asked them if they'd had the chance to eat anything after their competition. When they said no and admitted that they were hungry, Hoda sprung into action, saying, "They're hungry, people, we need some food!"
The entire U.S. women’s gymnastics team — Simone Biles, Suni Lee, Jordan Chiles, Grace McCallum, Jade Carey and MyKayla Skinner — was on hand and they discussed everything from their Olympic medals to the bonds they've formed while working together. Biles also addressed her decision to withdraw from several events.
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“We’re not just athletes or entertainment, we’re human, too, and we have real emotions … it wasn’t an easy decision,” she said.
Chiles agreed and supported her teammate.
“She’s been working so long for this and she’s not a quitter … we all pulled together,” she said.