The public interest surrounding whether Simone Biles will pursue another Olympic gold medal comes as no surprise to the gymnast.
That is largely because the 29-year-old two-time Olympic all-around champion is still weighing the choice herself, a deliberation that occasionally keeps her awake at night.
"I’m like 'Oh my gosh, I don’t know what the decision (is) I should make, but I don’t necessarily have to make it just yet," Biles told The Associated Press. "But I feel like it’s kind of in the works which way I’m leaning towards."
Having already competed in Rio de Janeiro, Tokyo, and Paris, the prospect of performing before a domestic audience at the Los Angeles Games in the summer of 2028 holds strong appeal. Fellow Olympians Suni Lee, Jordan Chiles, and Jade Carey are aiming for LA, as is Katelyn Ohashi, a former UCLA athlete who returned to elite competition in July following a 13-year hiatus.
"I know (athletes) are going a lot longer, and I’m just like, what the hell? It’s going to be like a big reunion if I did," Biles said. "It would be so much fun. But I still have to weigh the options."
Those options involve clear risks. Biles will turn 31 before the opening ceremony takes place across the LA Coliseum and Sofi Stadium in July 2028, meaning the demands of earning a spot on a fourth Olympic roster would differ significantly from her experience in Brazil a decade ago.
Personal priorities also weigh on the decision. Biles and her husband, Indianapolis Colts safety Jonathan Owens, plan to start a family, making the potential impact of high-level training on her reproductive health a key consideration, alongside the strain of extended separations while competing.
"I am getting to the age of 30 where we start to talk about, 'What does your reproduction cycle... what’s going on in there? What does that look like? How healthy is it? And so I think these are major things that are on the table at my age that I have to take in consideration and weigh those options and what that looks like and when we want to start a family."
Even so, the desire to experience a home Olympic Games remains powerful.
"Like a home Olympic Games, like, how could you not?" she said. "It’s absolutely incredible."
Since her historic run in Paris, where she became only the third woman to win multiple all-around gold medals, Biles has spent two years resting while stepping into her role as one of the prominent figures of American athletics.
Beyond gymnastics, the athlete—who elevated conversations around mental health after stepping back from several events at the 2021 Tokyo Games due to a spatial awareness issue known as "the twisties"—continues to advocate for foster care awareness and ADHD support.
Her latest initiative includes participating in the "Skin to Believe In" campaign, designed to encourage the approximately 36 million Americans suffering from chronic inflammatory skin conditions to consult medical professionals regarding non-steroidal topical treatments.
Biles herself was diagnosed with eczema on her arms as well as seborrheic dermatitis affecting her face and scalp, the latter causing severe irritation that led to bleeding. Her frequent travel schedule left her questioning if stress or environmental shifts were triggering the flare-ups.
She currently uses a steroid-free topical treatment that has provided relief without restricting her ability to pursue high-level athletic training should she choose to return.
Recent experiences suggest her skills remain intact. While at the gym with her sister Adria, Biles decided to attempt a double layout for fun.
"I’m like, ‘If I get lost, like, it’s over,’" Biles said. "And then I did it. And of course I was like, what the hell? That wasn’t that bad. Like, I wasn’t as scared as I thought I was going to be. And that scared me more with the decision."
She noted lightheartedly that a potential retirement would be welcome news to competing gymnasts aiming for spots on what is expected to be a competitive U.S. squad at the Staples Center in July 2028.
During a text conversation with former World Champions Centre teammate Joscelyn Roberson—who now trains at Georgia under Biles' former coaches, Cecile and Laurent Landi—the subject came up.
"She’s trying to remind me, like, ‘Hey babes, you’re good. Remember, you don’t have to come back. Stay at your house and stay with your husband,'" Biles said with a laugh, later adding, "I know some of the girls would be like, ‘Oh no, Simone’s coming back.’"
A return remains a distinct possibility, though Biles acknowledges the physical, mental, and emotional hurdles involved. She has spoken with skier Lindsey Vonn, who launched her own Olympic comeback this year at age 41, about managing the demands of elite sport. Yet Biles maintains she feels content regardless of whether she ever competes again.
"I’ve experienced so much and I’d done so much, so it’s like, I also have to be doing it for the right reasons," she said. "I feel really, really comfortable with what I've done in the sport. So I just have to sit down and be like ‘Why? Why am I doing it?’ Because there has to be a good reason."
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