Following her big win at the 2024 Paris Olympics, Simone Biles took a step back from active competition. Competing at the international stage certainly takes a toll. And now that she’s married to the NFL star, Jonathan Owens, plans for a family aren’t too far away. But one simply cannot take gymnastics out of a star gymnast. Even though she isn’t competing, Biles still goes to the championships to watch the rising stars from the sidelines. But how exactly does watching from the stands feel when one is used to dominating the arena with her skills?
Simone Biles was spotted enjoying the performance at the 2025 USA Gymnastics. And when she was asked about her feelings about watching the event from the stands at The Olympics Podcast, she said, “That was so interesting, but I was so happy that I was in the stands and not competing, because it takes a mental toll on you as well as a physical toll. So, you need that time to rest your body.”
The intense demands for balance, flexibility, and agility in gymnastics often lead athletes to experience injuries, fatigue, and soreness. And the body demands nothing but a break to recover from that. Nevertheless, the 11-time Olympic medalist was excited to see the girls come out of 2024, a year that was shadowed by the Olympics. After all, with the success at the Paris Olympics, there was a bit more pressure on them to perform well at the USA Gymnastics.
Biles continued, “They’re all just out there trying to make a name for themselves, to perform well, to get their name up on there to get more assignments and hopefully make worlds later this year. So, it was actually, really fun to watch. And it looked like they were having fun, but you could see their nerves. Which is always good because it means you’re working in the right direction.”
But what about the future of USA Gymnastics? The ‘Golden Girl’ said, “Guys, we trained for four years to lead up, and it’s a stepping stone to the Olympics. And of course, you’re gonna see the best in the world. And then you rebuild. So, it’s a rebuilding process, to not be afraid and have these girls trust the process. But it was really cool to see them compete.”
So, does that mean Simone Biles is planning to come back soon? Is she going to make a comeback at the next Olympic Games or opt to retire altogether? Well, she’s already 28 years old, and with age, she’s only going to lose her flexibility and agility. Recovery is going to take more time, and the risk of injuries is going up. But let’s hear it from the Olympian herself.
Simone Biles opens up on her retirement stance
As the conversation on The Olympics Podcast continued, Simone Biles claimed, “I think as athletes, you always want to end up on top and it be your choice when you end. Paris was such a special moment. Of course, you have some that want to go back and repeat that success because you get really hungry for it, and you know what that feels like, and you know what you’re capable of.”
She has already done more than enough for the sport. She went into the hiatus following a magnificent win in the Olympics. And now, she wants to call it quits on her terms. She continued, “I want it to be my choice when I’m done. I don’t want the doctors to be like, ‘Hey. You can’t. Move on.’ I think for a lot of elite athletes, it’s never their choice when they get to be done. I’m grateful if this was the end that I got to choose my ending.”
Yet, there exists a sliver of hope that we might get to see Biles’ finesse in the future. And who knows… She might even dominate and get a gold at the 2028 LA Olympics. It’d be her first-ever chance to compete in the home Olympics. And when asked if she was ready to leave her gymnastics life behind, she sternly stated, “No, absolutely not!”
The post Simone Biles’ Sidelines Confession Hints at the Future of Her Gymnastics Journey appeared first on EssentiallySports.
