“It was kind of surprising”- When Simone Biles opened up on her success and emotional return after break from gymnastics

Simone Biles once shared that her success surprised her after returning to competition following the mental health break she took during the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, which were held in 2021. At the Games, she experienced the 'twisties', a condition where gymnasts lose their sense of spatial awareness while performing aerial skills.

Due to the twisties, Biles withdrew from several events at the Tokyo Olympics, including the team final, individual all-around, vault, uneven bars and floor exercise finals. However, she made a sensational comeback in 2023, winning all-around titles at the U.S. Classic, the U.S. National Championships, and the World Championships, thus making a dominant return to elite gymnastics.

In a January 2024 conversation with Vanity Fair, Simone Biles shared her thoughts on her successful 2023 campaign after returning to gymnastics after two years, stating:

“It was kind of surprising.”

She also shared the emotional aspect that returning to compete in front of a big crowd felt emotionally risky and doing it was a personal win:

“Just taking [the] risk of allowing myself to be vulnerable in front of a crowd competing again was a win for me,” the gymnast added.

Three years after the Tokyo Olympics, Simone Biles went on to become the most decorated USA gymnast at the Paris Games, where she had a successful outing with three gold and one silver medal to take her overall Olympic tally to 11 medals, including 7 gold, 2 silver and 2 bronze medals.

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Simone Biles opens up on her life after the Paris Olympics and whether she'll compete at the Los Angeles Games

Simone Biles at 2023 Artistic Gymnastics World Championships (Photo by Naomi Baker/Getty Images)

Simone Biles recently shared her thoughts on her time after the 2024 Paris Olympics. She revealed that she is enjoying her break from gymnastics and hasn't yet decided when or if she'll return to competition. In an interview with Olympics.com in April 2025, she said:

“I’m really enjoying my time off before I decide if I want to go back to the gym and compete. A lot of people think it’s just a one-year commitment, but it truly is the four years leading up to the Olympics.”

Biles also expressed uncertainty about competing at the 2028 Los Angeles Games, but confirmed that she will definitely be there whether on the floor or in the stands cheering on fellow gymnasts.

Following the Paris Olympics, she attended the Met Gala with her husband Jonathan Owens. She and Owens also took their long-awaited honeymoon to South Africa this year, after getting married in 2023.

In terms of achievements for her performances after Paris, she was honored at the TIME100 Gala for being named one of the most influential people and earned the Best Laureus World Sportswoman of the Year award at the Laureus Sports Awards.

Edited by Abhiruchi Rout