Is Simone Biles Retiring After Paris Olympics?

Simone Biles bagged her sixth Olympic gold medal, clinching her second of the Paris Games on Thursday as she edged out Brazil’s Rebeca Andrade in the women’s all-around final. The 27-year-old’s achievement at the Bercy Arena saw her become the oldest female gold medalist since 30-year-old Maria Gorokhovskaya stood atop the podium in 1952. While the Helsinki games were the Soviet gymnast’s first, Biles has enthralled the gymnastics world for over 8 years and three Olympics.

With such monumental achievements (41 medals at the Olympics, World Championships, and Pacific Rim Championships), the burning question is: What’s next for Simone Biles? Is the gymnastics legend ready to retire her leotard? Or does she wish to set one very attainable ‘Oldest Ever’ record? Her seemingly cryptic message has set the rumor mill ablaze, leaving fans and critics alike on the edge of their seats.

Immediately after her win, a clip seemed to catch Simone saying, “Rebeca can have the next one.” It isn’t very clear as the audience’s roar seems to drown out her words. If it was indeed what Biles said, it does not confirm her retirement. This may just have been her way of wishing her opponent well for future battles.

Later, at the press conference, Biles said that she was tired of competing with the Brazilian silver medalist. “I don’t want to compete with Rebeca no more, I’m tired, like she’s way too close. I’ve never had an athlete that close, so it definitely put me on my toes and it brought out the best athlete in myself, so I’m excited and proud to compete with her, but I don’t like it no more. I’m being uncomfortable guys like I like that feeling. I was stressing.”

Well, Andrade isn’t going anywhere (at least as of now), which could be Biles hinting at retirement. Conversely, it could also be relief and a post-competition sentiment where an athlete wishes they had an easier time. Suni Lee was the first to agree with Biles’s comment about her being stressed.

The American certainly did not have an easy time and shed light on a chat she had with her husband to find out where she was after the bars. “‘He’s like you’re fine. You’re in third’ because I’ve just never been so stressed before. Thank you, Rebecca.” The next few words were drowned out as the room chuckled when Biles looked at Andrade on her right. She then added, “It’s good. I’m gonna hand it to her now – she can have the rest.”

While some may have looked at this as Simone letting Andrade know she could take home the rest of the medals (that’s unlikely, especially as the women’s artistic gymnastic events in Paris are not yet over), it can also have been Biles letting the room know that they could let the silver medalist take the next few questions.

Well, while Biles’s statement saw her express her gratitude to a rival, it also shows that she has pondered over her retirement. She still seems unsure, though, as she hasn’t given a yes/no answer to this question about retirement. However, in an interview with The Washington Post, Rebeca Andrade shared how Simone Biles, in a private conversation, stated that Paris would be her last Olympic run. At that time the Brazilian had replied, “I said, ‘No, girl, don’t do this.”

Andrade also spoke about how the gymnasts knew the other wanted to win and would keep rooting for each other. It may have been the case as they competed at the Bercy as well, where the Brazilian had to settle for her second successive silver. Her consolation? She edged out Suni Lee, who beat her to gold in Tokyo but was 1.199 behind Biles. Would the ‘no girl don’t do this’ still be a sentiment? Not quite, as having a rival of such a caliber definitely propelled the duo to even greater heights.

Simone Biles, a once-in-a-lifetime athlete who makes the unthinkable look elementary and the extraordinary look effortless, dominated the field of 24 gymnasts with a score of 59.131 points. Her gold, in individual all-around, marked her 39th career medal, further extending her record as the most decorated gymnast in history.

Throughout the competition, Biles faced fierce competition, including a notable challenge from Andrade, who was the runner-up at last year’s world championships. The Brazilian showcased impressive routines, including a confident Cheng on vault that set the stage for a thrilling showdown. Biles started strong with a sky-high Yurchenko double pike on the vault, but a misstep on the uneven bars momentarily dropped her to third place.

Andrade’s beautiful beam routine, despite a few balance checks, allowed her to close the gap and come within 0.166 points of Biles before the final rotation. However, the American reclaimed her lead with a stellar performance on the beam and floor, ending with a flawless routine that captivated the crowd. Will Andrade and Biles clash in 2028 as well?

Will Simone Biles go for the Gold again in 2028?

Simone Biles remains uncertain about whether the 2024 Paris Olympics will be her final appearance on the world stage, and she hasn’t ruled out the possibility of competing in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. In an interview with the Associated Press a few months before the 2024 Olympics, Biles was asked about the possibility of retiring but didn’t provide a clear answer.

“I would never say never, and I think that would be amazing to do after every Olympic cycle,” Biles said, referring to her post-Olympics Gold Over America Tour. “I think that would be a beautiful thing… But right now, I can’t tell you yes or no. No definitive answers because I don’t know what life will look like in the next few years.”

Remember how Biles hinted that the 2021 Olympics might be the end before deciding to make a dramatic return in 2024? The situation in 2021 was different, as she felt a sense of unfinished business after a bout of twisties disrupted her Tokyo campaign.

Reflecting on her comeback, Biles had remarked, “I think it’s kind of obvious,” acknowledging the frustration of pulling out of five finals despite knowing her capabilities. Now, with a team gold already in her collection and being one of only three female gymnasts (with Larisa Latynina and Vera Caslavska) with two all-around gold medals, Biles has little left to prove.

Unless, of course, the allure of competing at the Olympics on home soil when LA hosts the gymnastics events at the Crypto.com Arena gives her a reason not to hang up her leotard.

Age will not be a factor, as Biles will not set any oldest-ever Olympic gymnast record as a 31-year-old in 2028. Oksana Chusovitina, still active at 49, holds this honor as she competed at Tokyo at the age of 46. Further, Gabby Douglas, the 2012 Olympic all-around champion, has shared her plans to prepare for the 2028 Games. She will be 33 years old by then.

If the 27-year-old does choose to step aside, she might pass the baton to the younger generation of Team USA, content with her remarkable achievements. The likes of Suni Lee and Jordan Chiles will be eager to do their bit and extend USA’s 20-year dominance in this event, which began with Carly Patterson’s gold in Athens. Hezly Rivera did win gold as part of the team in 2024, but she will be eager to actually compete in the finals. Not to say that she can’t do so if Simone does not retire.

Considering the latest news brought to light by Olympics news reporter Blythe Lawrence, who stated that Biles hasn’t completely shut the doors on LA 2028… who knows, we might just see that record being broken after all!

Now that the world’s most decorated gymnast has stated, “You never know… But I am getting really old,” it seems like time literally holds the answer to this will-she-won’t-she situation.

What do you think? Will Paris 2024 be Simone Biles’s final Olympic bow?