With the 2024 Paris Olympics underway, speculation has been rampant about whether gymnastics icon Simone Biles will retire after her stellar performances.
At 27, Biles is one of the oldest medalists in Olympic gymnastics history, and her remarkable “redemption tour” at these Summer Games has fans and pundits wondering about her future in the sport.
While many assumed that retirement might follow her incredible showing in Paris, Biles has left the door open for a potential return at the next Summer Games in Los Angeles in 2028.
Speaking after securing her seventh Olympic gold medal on Saturday, Aug. 3, Biles was noncommittal but hinted at the possibility of competing again.
When asked if this marked her final competitive appearance, she quipped:
“Never say never. Next Olympics are at home. So you just never know. I am getting really old.”
Biles’ victory in the vault on Saturday, where she averaged 15.300, marked a continuation of her dominance, adding another gold to her collection eight years after her triumph in Rio de Janeiro.
Notably, Biles executed the Yurchenko double pike, the most challenging vault ever performed by a woman. While she mentioned officially retiring this eponymous move, saying:
“I kind of nailed that one” at the Paris Olympics, she did not rule out competing again in the future.
Biles’ Olympic career has been nothing short of extraordinary. With 10 career medals, she is tied for the third most by a female gymnast in Olympic history.
Two more medals would place her second behind Larisa Latynina, who amassed 18 medals for the Soviet Union in the 1950s and ’60s.
As the Paris Olympics continue, Biles’ future remains a topic of great interest. Whether she decides to retire or continue competing, her impact on the sport of gymnastics is undeniable.
Fans will eagerly await her next steps, hoping to see more of her awe-inspiring performances in the years to come.
