Simone Biles was ready to add to her vast collection of hardware at the Tokyo Olympics this summer, but now that the Games have been postponed until next year, her participation is no longer a sure thing.
In an interview on Wednesday, the gymnastics legend indicated that she was not ready to commit to competing in 2021.
“Well, nothing is really set in stone yet,” said Biles, per ESPN. “We’re trying to figure out the right training [regimen] just so mentally and physically we can try and stay on top of our game. We’re just playing it by ear and really just listening to my body.
“A year is a lot for elite athletes,” she added. “It feels more than a year on your body, trust me. Especially gymnastics, the impact we take. It’s your whole entire body, it’s not just your legs or your feet or your arms, we have to make sure your whole body is in check … I feel like there is kind of pressure. This year I was just doing it for me, no expectations. Now it’s all eyes again on you, wondering, ‘Can she do it, now she’s a year older?’ You’re like, ‘Oh, shoot.'”
Biles, the most decorated female gymnast ever, also called the postponement a “letdown.” She returned to competition in 2018 after taking home five medals (four of them gold) at the 2016 Rio Olympics as a member of the “Final Five.” Biles pulled off this ridiculous move on the national stage last year as well.
While her talent is unparalleled, Biles will be 24 years old when the Tokyo Games take place, which is virtually ancient in the world of gymnastics. After all, Biles’ teammate in Rio, Aly Raisman, was widely teased for her age when she was only 22 at the time.
