Simone Biles named sportswoman of the year 2024

Simone Biles has been appointed Sports Illustratedwas voted 2024 Sportsman of the Year and hinted at why the most decorated gymnast in history might skip the 2028 Olympics.

Source: Robin L. Marshall / Getty

At 27, Simone Biles continues to reign as a legend in gymnastics and beyond, recently becoming the first Olympian to win Sports Illustrated's prestigious Sportsperson of the Year title in over a decade. (The latest? None other than basketball royalty LeBron James in 2012.)

After a triumphant return to sport at the 2024 Paris Olympics – where she won four medals, including three gold – Biles isn't afraid to think about what's next. After overcoming her infamous bout with the 'twisties' at the Tokyo 2021 Games, the gymnastics GOAT has hinted that her competitive days may be coming to an end, especially as the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics approach.

Source: MediaNews Group/Pasadena Star-News via Getty Images/Getty

“Because I've accomplished so much, there's almost nothing left to do,” she confessed in a candid interview with Sports Illustrated. “Rather than being snobbish and trying again, what for?” I'm at a point in my career where I'm humble enough to know when to call it a day.

Biles, who married Chicago Bears player Jonathan Owens in 2023, is also considering new horizons.

“If you go back, you’ll be greedy,” she admitted. “These are the consequences. But it's also your decision. What sacrifices would be made if I went back now? When you're younger, it's prom, college. Now it's like starting a family, being away from my husband. What is really worth it?

“I don’t think reality has sunk in on what exactly I did in sports,” she shared. “I can see it, and I hear it from people, and I get glimpses of it, but I don’t think I’ve realized the full extent of it yet.” She added: “I don't think I'll realize it until maybe I retire and look back in a few years and say, 'Damn, she was good.' Because I can see it, but I do it every day. So for me, it's normal.

Although her words suggest she's leaving the Olympic stage for good, one thing remains clear: Simone Biles isn't letting fear hold her back. Whether she's flying through the air or planning her next chapter, the champion's legacy is sealed, on her own terms.

“It’s crazy,” she said. “I have the privilege and the mental strength to make my wildest dreams come true.”

As the world eagerly awaits what's next, one thing's for sure: Simone Biles knows how to nail her landing in life as perfectly as she does in the gym.