Simone Biles & Co. are the unifying heroes our squabbling country needs right now

Team USA is running rings around America’s cynicism and division.

Stateside, there’s a political battle royal: ugly fights online, anti-Israel protesters spraying DC with pro-terrorist graffiti, and racially segregated Zoom pep rallies for Kamala Harris .

Meanwhile, in Paris, the only colors that matter are red, white and blue. And our American athletes, in their infinite greatness, are shining a light of unity across the ocean.

It feels like a much-needed respite and distraction. A nightly salve coming through the boob tube.

On Tuesday , we witnessed the triumphant return of gymnast Simone Biles pushing through injury to help her team, including the wonderful Sunisa Lee, Jordan Chiles, Jade Carey and Hezly Rivera , to gold.

Our comeback queen showed the power of grit. As she attempted the vault, the event that gave her the “twisties” and led her to dropping out in Tokyo three years ago , we all collectively held our breath.

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She nailed it — and didn’t your heart soar watching her?

As Biles completed her dazzling floor exercise, the crowd — which included such legendary athletes as Michael Phelps and Serena Williams — screamed “U-S-A! U-S-A! U-S-A!”

In the first few days, our best and brightest are giving us many reasons to pop on some Lee Greenwood and feel unadulterated pride.

From flag bearer LeBron James leading Team USA down the Seine — his position at the front of the boat drawing funny comparisons to Washington crossing the Delaware — to the enduring dominance and longevity of swimmer Katie Ledecky, competing in her fourth Olympics and still poised to make history.

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The men’s gymnasts flipping and pommeling their way to that team’s first medal in 16 years . The women’s rugby team dramatically knocking off Australia to earn their first ever medal .

But it’s also about how the Team USA athletes are competing and representing themselves: a celebration of hard work, sacrifice and tenacity. They’ve exhibited patriotism over politics. For the most part, it’s been a showcase of our national spirit.

After all, we tune into the Olympics to see the brilliance the USA produces, not our deficiencies.

And Americans are losing ourselves in the broadcast. Viewership is reportedly up 79% from the Tokyo games in 2021. And social media has turned into a highlight reel , drowning out the silly or cringey moments (the opening ceremony’s drag queen drama feels like five years ago already).

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There is one important distinction between Paris and Tokyo. The latter was staged during Covid lockdown, to empty stadiums and a neutered energy. There were no families there to cheer on our athletes and provide the magical human element. No live reactions of parents watching their babies reach their wildest dreams.

Already this week, I’ve been a gold medalist in decimating boxes of Kleenex as I cry my way through all the warm and fuzzy family coverage.

Yesterday we saw gymnast Brody Malone’s father choke up as he read his son a heartfelt letter about their journey to the Olympics. Malone, 24, lost his mother to cancer when he was just 12, and he spoke about how he and his father always tried to maintain stoicism and humility through hardship.

Malone and his teammates, including the incredibly likable Frederick “Flips” Richard, had reason to toss all restraint out the window when they won silver — with viral sensation Stephen Nedoroscik providing the exclamation point.

Who didn’t fall in love with that Clark Kent in a singlet as he emerged from a stone-faced trance, removed his glasses and dominated that pommel horse? An unlikely hero, he was lifted airborne by his ecstatic teammates. Pure jubilation.

A feeling for us all to savor.

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