Just weeks after becoming the most decorated Olympic gymnast of the 21st century , Simone Biles is already back at work and diligently preparing for the star-studded "Gold Over America" tour that begins in just three weeks.
The Team USA gymnast an Instagram story on Saturday with the simple message "first day back," marking her initial return to the mat after discussing her long-term Olympic future with reporters in the French capital.
The diminutive superstar delivered another sterling performance from Paris, leading the Americans to victory in the team competition before outlasting Rebeca Andrade in the individual all-around. Biles also secured gold and silver in the vault and floor exercise respectively, pulling into a tie with Vera Caslavska for second on the all-time medal tally, and gave a contentedly non-committal answer about her Olympic future.
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“You know, you never say never. The next Olympics is on home turf," Biles said. "So you just never know. I’m just going to relax and see where life takes me. Never say never. Next Olympics are at home. So you just never know. I am getting really old.”
As Biles notes, the 2028 Olympics are headed to Los Angeles , confirmed dramatically during this summer's closing ceremonies as Hollywood star Tom Cruise flew in from the Stade de France rooftop and took the iconic five-ringed flag back to Tinseltown. It would present a novel opportunity for Biles to compete in a major international competition on home soil, with the Olympics returning to the United States for the first time since 1996 while Biles missed the 2022 World Athletics Championships in Eugene, Oregon due to a prolonged absence from the sport.
However, after already defying her age during the 2024 Games, Biles would become an even more remarkable outlier were she to participate in the Los Angeles competition. Biles was the oldest American to compete in the Olympics this summer since 1952 at 27 years old, and she would overtake Maria Gorokhovskaya as the eldest all-around champion ever.
In the meantime, Biles will focus on her celebratory "Gold Over America" tour, which will mix Olympic caliber gymnastics with an enhanced level of pageantry and artistic flair. The tour stars Biles but features many of the most recognizable Team USA gymnasts, including Jordan Chiles and Jade Carey.
“It’s kind of a celebration, Party in the USA. Very high-energy performance. Very good music and excitement,” Biles said of the tour. Think of Dancing With the Stars but a gymnastics version. We have our Olympians, men, and women, as well as some guest appearances from outside the country."
The tour begins on September 16 in Oceanside, California, and after weaving between 21 states, Biles will wrap up her showcase in Detroit's Little Caesar's Arena on November 3. Her inaugural "Gold Over America" tour in 2021 grossed $19.3 million.
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