For most of her life, Simone Biles was defined by 6 a.m. alarms, chalk-dust routines, and seven-hour training days. That relentless dedication earned her 11 Olympic medals and made her the most decorated gymnast in history. But now, at 28, Biles is tasting something new: freedom.
After winning four medals in Paris, she stepped away from training. For the first time in over a decade, she isn’t consumed by competition, and she’s slowly checking off items on her childhood bucket list, many of them alongside her husband, NFL safety Jonathan Owens.
“I feel like I’m catching up on a lot of things that I wasn’t able to do because I was always training,” Biles recently told Cosmopolitan. “I’ve never had the opportunity to do these because I was always in the gym 24/7… it does give me a little bit of freedom.“
That freedom is revealing a different side of Simone Biles, one that fans rarely get to see.
Jonathan Owens shows something new to Simone Biles
Biles and Owens married in 2023, but the couple delayed their honeymoon because both were deep into their athletic seasons. Nearly two years later, they finally took their dream trip to South Africa, a trip that sparked something.
“Like, I’ve never been to prom or homecoming or the football games, any of that stuff,” the gold medalist commented. “And now I feel like I’m doing all the sporting events, going to all of my husband’s football games, and checking those off the bucket list.”
Now, when she isn’t cheering from the stands, Simone is horseback riding, taking girls’ trips, learning ice skating, experimenting with fashion, cooking, activities that sound ordinary, but for her, were once impossible luxuries.
She admits the break is refreshing, but not permanent: “I still find myself turning on and watching the girls and being so excited for Team USA… I’ve always loved it. But life looks a little different right now.”
Will Simone Biles compete in the 2028 Olympics?
Fans are wondering if Simone Biles could return for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics? Biles has been honest about how training hits differently at 28.
“I went back to the village I took the elevator… my body literally collapsed… sick for 10 days,” she laughed. “The other day we were sprinting… I had aches and pains for three days.”
Biles isn’t ruling anything out towards L.A. “I’m not sure what 2028 looks like, but I will be there in some capacity. I just don’t know if it’s on the floor or in the stands.”
For now, Simone says balance remains her main priority: “It’s really important that your physical health matches your mental health. That’s why you saw so much of my success in Paris.“
It’s a philosophy rooted in the lessons from Tokyo, when she withdrew due to the “twisties,” sparking global conversations on mental health in sports.
Whether she competes again or not, Simone Biles is finally getting time, the most valuable prize of all.
The greatest gymnast ever isn’t racing toward retirement. Instead, she’s getting milestones she never had, supported by a partner helping her rediscover joy outside the gym.
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