Simone Biles may be the most decorated gymnast of all time, but she was a gymnast before all of this ever started! We weren’t there when foster parents Ms Doris and Mr. Leo didn’t let her and the siblings play on the trampoline. We weren’t there to see her make a smooth landing after taking off midair from the highest peak she could pull while swinging in the backyard. We weren’t there when Adria would follow her older sister literally everywhere—even if it meant risking breaking a bone or two—as she mimicked Simone jumping off the railing from 2nd floor to land on a couch on the first. We weren’t there but Adria was.
Simone is now 27, and time, as unforgiving as it is, favors no one. Rumors around Simone Biles’s retirement have been defined and redefined many times ever since the 11-time Olympic medalist had the mental block episode in the Tokyo Games. As many would believe this to be that opportune moment for her to leave the mat on a high note, Biles, on the other hand, has kept everyone on their toes when questions about her participation in the LA Games filled the room in the post-event conferences: “Never say never.”
At that point in time, Biles had to warn the critics to get off her back when she said, “You guys really gotta stop asking athletes what’s next after they win a medal at the Olympics. Let us soak up the moment we’ve worked our whole lives for.” But questions about her retirement are seldom going to stop. So, when Chris Osmond took her sister up on his podcast interview, he did ask the inevitable. Adria too remained quite vague in her response but it would certainly be enough to ditch that itch, albeit temporarily.
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Simone went as far as saying that she is willing to pass the torch to Rebeca Andrade, “Rebeca can have the next one.” But Adria here has a different understanding. Going through an emotional rush thinking that her Paris events were the last time she would watch her GOAT sister perform at an Olympic stage, Adria outlined her experiences, “I think, because this is like the third time around, it almost felt like not real because it was like the end of an era. Every beam routine she did, I was like, ‘This is about to be the last one.’
“It was kind of hard for me to come to terms with because I love watching my sister compete. So, I’m like, ‘Man, I’m not going to ever see her compete again.’” But when the topic of Simone’s future in gymnastics came up, Adria’s response was heartfelt and a little revealing!
She expressed hope that Simone might be ready to step back, noting how much her sister loves watching her husband, Chicago Bears’ safety Jonathan Owens, play and is in love with the idea of having kids with him. Adria said, “Listen, I hope so because I know how much she loves her husband and loves watching him play. I hope she can just enjoy that and take a break that she deserves, and she loves to travel, so I hope that she can do that… But if she’s not done, then I guess I’ll be back in the stands. But if she is, then I mean, job well done.”
Simone’s love for supporting Jonathan is no secret. She’s been spotted cheering him on from the sidelines at several NFL games, and from Adria’s words, it’s clear just how much Simone Biles enjoys being in the gallery, waving pom-poms for her man. As for her sister, Adria has always been her sister’s biggest fan. And when Simone clinched her individual all-around gold in Paris, Adria’s pride was on full display. She posted a story on Instagram with the caption, “Shut the eff up I have the coolest big sisterrrrrr.”
No matter what Simone Biles decides next, one thing is clear: Adria will always be her biggest cheerleader, whether she’s screaming from the stands or supporting from afar. And while there are hints that an era might be ending, there’s still a glimmer of hope that we haven’t seen the last of the GOAT in action!
Simone Biles is clear on one thing: She needs time
With 11 Olympic medals to her name, Simone Biles didn’t just leave her mark in Paris—she practically claimed the spotlight for LA 2028 when she took on the mantle during the closing ceremony. But ever since then, the gymnastics world has been buzzing with speculation: Is Simone finally ready to hang up her leotards and call it a career? Or is there still more to come from the GOAT?
Simone’s been playing it coy, but she’s also dropped some hints that make it clear she’s not ready to walk away just yet, considering the next Games will be held in her home soil. “I think with everything I’ve been through, I want to push the limits, I want to see how far I can go,” Biles said. “
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