Simone Biles Talks About the Possibility of Competing in the 2028 Olympics and Meeting Tom Cruise in Paris
Simone Biles’ triumphant comeback at the 2024 Paris Olympics was remarkable, particularly notable given her decision to withdraw from the 2020 Tokyo Olympics to focus on her mental health.
“It meant the world to me, especially after what happened in Tokyo. That experience didn’t showcase my best performance or go as I had hoped,” said the renowned gymnast on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on September 4th. “Investing both mental and physical effort to make a comeback at an Olympic Games was profoundly significant for me.”
When Jimmy Fallon asked if her time in Tokyo increased the pressure, Biles responded, “Not really. The only pressure came from myself because I knew what I could achieve and wanted it so badly. That was the only stressful part.”
“Everything else was just as it should be,” she mentioned.
The part she was genuinely concerned about? The section of the 2024 Closing Ceremony where she had to pass the Olympic flag to actor Tom Cruise.
In an unexpected disclosure, Biles shared with Fallon, “I’m always tripping and stumbling on stairs. Honestly, that was the part that made me most anxious throughout the entire Olympics. I kept reminding myself,’Okay, you have to pass off the flag… don’t screw it up!’ It was quite daunting!”
Biles shared that meeting the Mission: Impossible star was a delightful experience. She described him as incredibly sweet, nice, and down-to-earth. He even brought flowers and met her mom, which added to the fun occasion.
Will Simone Biles compete in the 2028 Summer Olympics?
Although the 2024 Paris Olympics wrapped up just over a month ago, fans are already eagerly looking forward to the 2028 Games in Los Angeles. Fallon took this opportunity to ask Biles if she is considering making a return for another Summer Olympics four years from now.
Biles chuckled and said, “People keep asking me this question, and I’m just thinking to myself, ‘Can’t I live?’”
“I’m getting older,” she joked. “At 27, that’s somewhat old for a gymnast.” She suggested that she’d join in if it were possible to team up and share the events with her fellow gymnasts.
“Stop being such a baby!” Fallon protested.
“Outside the gym, I’m young!” Biles acknowledged, appreciating her youthful energy in many areas of life. “But inside the gym? I’m old,” she remarked with a smile.
Although Biles may be unsure about her Olympic future, she is certain about the legacy she wants to leave as the most decorated gymnast in U.S. history.
In her conversation with Fallon, she expressed that in gymnastics, her goal is to inspire the next generation and have fun. She emphasized the importance of it not just being about winning; instead, she focuses on giving her best effort even when things don’t go as expected.
