Simone Biles Is Back!

Simone Biles is officially coming back to gymnastics ahead of the 2024 Summer Olympics. Biles is one of the most decorated female gymnasts in the world, having won 25 World Championship medals and seven Olympic medals since she began competing competitively in 2011. However, she took a hiatus from competing after participating in the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. During the 2020 Olympics, she put up an impressive performance and qualified for finals in all of her individual events. She abruptly withdrew from the Olympic competition due to experiencing the “twisties,” a cute-sounding but incredibly dangerous phenomenon where gymnasts lose awareness and control of their own bodies mid-air while performing a particular maneuver.

Despite making the right choice to withdraw for her own safety, Biles was subject to horrific racist and sexist backlash by internet trolls for leaving the competition. In 2021, she clarified that withdrawing from gymnastics wasn’t something she wanted. But after facing the intense mental health toll and pressures of being an elite athlete, in addition to being a victim of Larry Nassar’s abuse, she found herself unable to perform the sport that she loved. Fortunately, she did also receive an outpouring of love and support from around the world, as many praised her for speaking out and sparking a conversation on the importance of prioritizing mental health among athletes.

Biles has not competed since 2020, and it has been heartening to see her take time off and prioritize her health and relationships. However, we are also overjoyed that she recently announced that she is going to be hitting the mat again soon.

Simone Biles prepares for gymnastics return

Last month, the 2023 U.S. Classic listed Biles on its slate of participating athletes for the competition, which will begin on August 4. Many of Biles’ fans reacted to the news with excitement and support, though some were awaiting official confirmation. Biles finally took to Twitter to confirm that the news was true and that she will be competing for the first time in three years at the U.S. Classic.

Biles will be competing against several other elite athletes, including fellow Olympic gymnasts Sunisa Lee and Jade Carey. The U.S. Classic is the final qualifying event for the 2023 U.S. Gymnastics Championships, which will be held on August 24. While it’s difficult to predict how Biles will perform, she does have a solid shot at making it to the Championships, which could begin her journey to the 2024 U.S. Olympic Gymnastics Team Trials next year. After all, last month, Biles indicated that she wasn’t shutting the door on a 2024 Olympic return, though she was unsure if she’d return as an athlete or a supporter.

If Biles were to qualify for the 2024 Olympics, it would be historic in more ways than one. At age 26, she would be the oldest female U.S. gymnast to compete in the Olympics in two decades. Additionally, she would be the first female U.S. gymnast to qualify for three separate Olympic Games since 2000. Whether the Olympics are in store for Biles or not, it will be satisfying to see her return to the sport she loves and that she revolutionized with her talent.

(featured image: Emilee Chinn/Getty)