August 5, 2024, Simone Biles has just won the silver medal at the 2024 Olympics. It’s her ninth Olympic medal, and it makes her one of the most decorated gymnasts in history. But she was broken, struggling to move for days afterwards. The experience affected her so badly that she ruled out competing again, saying, “I’m not so sure.” And even with LA 2028 inching closer, Biles stuck to that with no definite answer about her participation until now.

“I feel like we’re still at a 50-50 and that we’re still on a time crunch here now, it’s almost half of 2026,” Biles said, as per CNN. “We’re going to have to make these decisions pretty quickly.”

And with exactly two years left for the 2028 Olympics, Biles is definitely running out of time. The fact that she hasn’t competed or trained since Paris only adds to the pressure. There’s a reason why Biles hasn’t competed in gymnastics since 2024, allowing her body to recover instead. It’s also why most gymnasts don’t go beyond the three Olympic cycles mark.

That’s because gymnastics puts immense pressure on the body, and that eventually causes it to break down. To put that in numbers, as per a 2023 study, an emergency room in the US treats around “100,000 injuries associated with gymnastics”. Another study done in 2026 by Gitux also revealed similar results: an elite gymnast suffers “3.89 injuries per 1000 hours during training”.

That number rises to “12.06 per 1000 hours during competition”, and what makes it even worse is that female gymnasts are affected the most. The report indicated that the sport has the “highest injury rate among female athletes” with “12.3 injuries per 100,000”. Thus, it comes as no surprise that Simone Biles wants to give her body the best possible time to recover.

It’s also why the now-29-year-old took a one-year break in 2017 to once again allow her body time to recover. And Biles’ limits are clear as Biles admitted she’s hoping to start doing Pilates and yoga soon. However, even that came with a “that’s as far as I got right now,” which marks a concerning statement from Biles. But the Olympian has been open about her struggles.

In fact, just under a year after the 2024 Olympics, Biles admitted that her body was still in recovery mode. So much so that after a simple sprint, she struggled with pain for weeks afterwards. But judging by her latest comments, Simone Biles is clearly considering giving LA 2028 a go. And yet, her biggest hurdle remains her mental health.

“Mental health plays a big role in it because, physically, my coaches will get me in shape,” Biles explained. “I can get myself in shape. We believe in that ability. We’re really thankful that I’m still healthy. Mental is a huge thing, and it’s a lot of dedication to that because the road’s not easy. It’s long, but it’s still work.”

The 29-year-old’s focus on being in the best possible shape, both mentally and physically, makes sense, especially after her tumultuous Tokyo Olympics. There, Biles was the favorite to win all six Olympic golds but suffered from “the twisties”. It forced her to withdraw from multiple events, and that moment changed the course of her career.

She started going to therapy, focused on her mental and physical health, and came back renewed. That led to her winning four medals at the Paris Olympics, including three golds. But her body showed signs of needing rest, and Biles has done exactly that. Although this isn’t the first time she has touched upon potentially being at LA 2028.

Simone Biles reiterates her stance on competing at LA 2028

The 29-year-old would become the joint third female artistic gymnast to compete at four Olympics. It would mean that only Daniele Hypólito (5) and Oksana Chusovitina (8) have competed in more. Nobody has come close to Chusovitina other than Hypólito, but Biles, Marine Boyer, Ellie Black (4), and a handful of others do have a chance of doing it.

That’s even if the chances of them doing it are slim to none. But for Simone Biles, LA 2028 has become a big topic, especially given her status as one of America’s best gymnasts. And it has seen Biles touch upon the topic, most recently in October 2025.

“Everyone likes to talk about L.A. and what that road looks like for me,” Biles said, as per Olympics.com. “So currently, I am taking some time off from the gym because I think it’s really important that your physical health matches your mental health.”

She added, “I’m not sure what 2028 looks like, but I will be there in some capacity. I just don’t know right now if it’s on the floor or in the stands. But I definitely want to go and be a part of that movement.” 

For now, that uncertainty remains the defining part of Biles’ journey, as she weighs the demands of returning against everything she’s already given to the sport. Only time will tell what decision the Olympic champion comes to, as the world waits with bated breath.