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OLYMPICS

Simone Biles May Not Compete At 2028 Los Angeles Olympics 

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Simone Biles recently gave an interview with French sports daily L’Equipe where she said she was unsure about her future in the Olympics. The next Summer Olympics will occur in 2028 and take place in Los Angeles, California. 

The 28-year-old has had a long and highly decorated career, and discussed how she’s very mindful over the demand that gymnastics puts on her body. Biles will be 31 when the LA Olympics begin, and while 31 is young, in the realm of professional gymnastics it’s an age where most gymnasts have already retired. 

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The oldest all-around female gymnastics champion is Maria Gorokhovskaya, who won the gold at the 1952 Olympics when she was 30-years-old. 

“I’m really trying to enjoy life, to spend time with my husband, go support him at his games, live my life as a woman,” she said, referring to her partner NFL player Jonathan Owens.

 “I’ve accomplished so much in my sport. For me to come back, it would really have to excite me.”

Biles is the most decorated gymnast of all time, and in order to have earned that title, she had to work on a level most of us can’t fathom. She discussed how a lot of the times fans underestimate the amount of preparation it takes to compete in the Olympics. 

“A lot of people think it’s just a one-year commitment but it truly is the four years leading up to the Olympics. It’s in LA, it’s back in the States, which is so exciting. But if I’m going to compete again, I’m not so sure,” she said.

Regardless of if Biles will compete or not, she’s fully planning on attending the 2028 Games. “Whether on the [gymnastics] apparatus or in the stands, I still don’t know that, but 2028 seems so far away, and my body is aging. I felt it in Paris.” 

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At the most recent Summer Olympics in Paris, Biles won three gold medals and a silver. Overall, the iconic gymnast has earned seven Olympic gold medals and 11 overall. A feat like that is incredible, however, Biles emphasized the toll that took on her body and mind. 

“I went back to the [Olympic] village, I took the elevator and my body literally collapsed. I was sick for 10 days. The other day, we were sprinting in the garden with friends, I had aches and pains for three days. So, I honestly don’t know. We’ll see,” she explained. 

Biles then spoke on the future of gymnastics as a whole and praised her rival Rebeca Andrade from Brazil. Andrade has torn her ACL three times throughout her career, but managed to recover and continue to compete in the sport and earn medals. Biles said Andrade would push her beyond her limits, and now she doesn’t think the world of gymnastics necessarily needs both of them. 

“It only needs one of us, no? Especially since [Andrade] will not be alone. A young generation will knock at the door and everything will start again,” Biles said. 

Biles was speaking to L’Equipe ahead of the Laureus Awards in Madrid, where she was once again honored with the Sportswoman of the Year award. Whatever the future holds for Biles’ career in gymnastics, it’s safe to say her legacy is set in stone. 

“I am very proud of the work accomplished to reach this point, and I will continue to be the voice of the voiceless.”

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Simone Biles Wins Record 8th US Gymnastics Title, 10 Years After Winning Her First 

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Simone Biles won a record eighth all-around title at the US Gymnastics Championships, a full decade after winning her first national title. 

This victory was made just weeks after Biles returned from a two-year break from competing to focus on her mental health, and solidified a successful comeback to the top of the sport for Biles. 

“It feels really special. I’ve been doing it for so long, I feel like I don’t think about numbers, I think about my performance. And I think, overall, I hit eight for eight. I guess it’s a lucky number this year.”

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Biles received a standing ovation after earning a 15.400 for her floor exercise, as well as a 14.850 on the Cheng vault, which was also the highest score of the night, as was her 14.8 earning on the beam. 

With a combined total of 118.450, she was able to slide into first place with Shilese Jones earning second place by just 3.9 points. 

“It’s really amazing. Everybody in here believes in me. So I just need to start believing in myself a little bit more, but it feels amazing and I love the fans, I love the crowd. It was really special.”

Biles also was victorious at the US Classic two weeks ago following her two year break. Biles started to take a break to focus on her mental health at the Tokyo Summer Olympics in 2021.

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At the time, Biles revealed that she was experiencing “the twisties,” which is a mental phenomenon that impacts the way a gymnast perceives their positioning while in the air. Experiencing this phenomenon is very dangerous, as the technical work that goes into a gymnast’s routine is dependent on the individual’s ability to know how they’re moving and where they’ll end off. 

Shortly after her experience with “the twisties” she pulled out of the Tokyo Games, later claiming that the emotional toll of competing was what prompted her withdrawal. 

Now, Biles has made her return, and fans are ecstatic to see and hear that the record breaking gymnast is doing better mentally and feels confident being back on the floor. 

The victory on Sunday made Biles, who’s 26, the oldest woman to win a national title since the competition was taken over by USA Gymnastics in 1963, according to reports. 

Additionally, Biles has won 25 medals at world championships, including 18 golds, which is more than any man or woman has earned in gymnastics history. For now, Biles is keeping her plans to compete in the Paris Olympics to herself. 

Gold Medal

Simone Biles Is “Feeling Golden” After Winning 5th World Championship Title

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Simone Biles is no stranger to making headlines where she’s constantly crushing her competition, and climbing the ladder of success all the way to an Olympic gold medal. This week was no different for the Olympian Gymnast, as she secured her fifth all around world gymnastic championship title. The award is Biles 22nd medal at the world championships, and 16th gold medal, the accomplishment broke the record for most medals won overall by a woman at the world championships. She’s now just one behind Vitaly Scherbo, who holds 23 titles, which is the record for both men and women, according to the New York Times. Her victory was considered a runaway, with a 2.1 point margin of victory on a score of 58.999.

“Every year it feels better and better just because we’re adding to the legacy. I feel like I never think of records. I just go out there and do what I came to do, which is to compete for the country. It’s just so surreal to come out here and end up on top with the strength of the team that we have, even after having a couple falls out there,” Biles said.

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Team USA won its seventh consecutive team title at the world championships this week, with an overall team score of 172.330, beating the runner up, Russia, by 5.801 points, according to the Times. Biles, like any perfectionist at their craft, was left unsatisfied with her record-breaking performances and told reporters afterwards that she felt she “played it safe.” The crowd and judges obviously disagreed to the fullest extent. 

Her final floor routine is what really set Biles apart from her competitors. She was the final gymnast to perform, and after a series of underwhelming routines from her competitors, the audience knew Biles had the win in the bag. According to the Times coverage of the championship rounds, Biles began her routine with her iconic body bending, triple twisting double somersault which set the standard for the whole performance. The crowd reportedly could not stop cheering and gasping at the awe-inspiring routine. Biles is no stranger to having her countries support, as she’s been one of the biggest names in Olympic athlete’s since her debut. After all was said in done with the routine, Biles quite literally dropped the mic to her competitors. No really, after sticking the landing of her final trick, she extended her right arm and pretended to do a mic drop, and rightfully so. 

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Biles has been dominating the gymnastics world for the past six years, taking home four gold medals at the Rio Olympics in 2014 at her Olympic debut, and she hasn’t slowed down since. This past week she was the only woman who qualified to compete in all four gymnastic events at the world championships in Germany. Not only did she break records but she made even more history by finishing her beam routine with a double twisting double back flip dismount. The move has only ever been done previously during floor routines and even then with a running start it’s considered a major risk.

Biles was dumbfounded and humbled by the massive amount of support and enthusiasm her country praised her on, amd for being one of the best athletes of our generation. “I don’t know; I feel like it’s not me. Sometimes I wonder how I do it. I feel like it’s just, like, not me. I wish I could have like an out-of-body experience to witness it, because sometimes I think I’m going crazy. I really don’t know how I do it sometimes,” she stated. On Friday, the athlete celebrated her win on Twitter, writing, “Feeling GOLDEN this morning … every time feels just like the first.”