At the Aug. 1 women’s gymnastics individual all-around final of the 2024 Summer Olympics, Simone Biles once again proved herself to be the absolute GOAT. Already the most decorated U.S. gymnast of all time, Biles added to her hardware collection with another gold medal. But now with this win under her belt (or rather, around her neck) some fans are wondering: Will Biles retire after the 2024 Olympics are over, or will she go on to continue dominating in the sport for years to come?
Biles is constantly redefining the game and shocking fans with the heights she can reach (both literally with her gymnastics moves and figuratively with all her achievements). So, it comes as no surprise that she became the first American gymnast to take gold in individual all-around twice on Aug. 1. Breaking records is just what she does!
Three years following her withdrawal from the Tokyo Olympics to focus on her mental health — something so incredibly important that helped bring light to mental health issues, despite tons of backlash from critics — Biles returned to one of the largest stages in the world, for the Olympics. With more than 41 million people watching all over the world, Biles has made a meal out of these Summer Games, both as a key component in getting Team USA the gold medal (which happened July 30), as well as an individual competitor.
While it is nothing short of incredible to watch Simone Biles in her element, many fans wonder if this Olympics is something of a farewell tour for Biles. After all, in addition to the other records she’s borken, she is also the oldest all-around champion since 1952. Most elite gymnasts retire anywhere from their early to late 20s, with women gymnasts typically retiring on the earlier end of that range. Biles is currently 27 and has spent many years of her life in training while also sacrificing her social life and mental health.
Of course, most fans would love for Biles to stick around for the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles, the choice is entirely up to her.
When asked in an interview with El Paso Inc. if she plans to contine participating in competitive gymnastics, Biles didn’t give a definitive answer. “I would never say never and I think that would be amazing to (do this) after every Olympic cycle,” she said, “I think that would be a beautiful thing. But right now I can’t tell you yes or no … because I don’t know what life will look like in the next few years to come.”
While Biles’ future is still up in the air, fans should be more than content to celebrate her present as she basks in the glory of her most recent Olympic wins.