It has been a triumphant return to the Olympic stage for Biles, who has won three gold medals so far, after pulling out midway through the Tokyo games with “the twisties”.

Simone Biles, of the United States, celebrates after winning the gold medal at the medal ceremony during the women's artistic gymnastics individual vault finals at Bercy Arena at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Saturday, Aug. 3, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)
Image:Simone Biles. Pic: AP

Simone Biles has asked people to stop asking athletes “what’s next?” after they win a medal at the Olympics.

The seven-time Olympic gold medallist wrote in a post on the X social media platform: “Let us soak up the moment we’ve worked our whole lives for.”

One of her followers jokingly replied: “What is your next step after winning [a] gold medal??”

In a tongue-in-cheek response, Biles wrote: “Babysitting the medal.”

Biles, the most decorated gymnast in history, won her seventh gold medal, and third of the Paris Olympics, on Saturday with victory in the women’s gymnastic vault event.

With the individual floor and balance beam competitions still to come, she could pass her record of four medals at the 2016 Rio Olympics.

It has been a triumphant return to the Olympic stage for Biles, who was one of the biggest stories of the Tokyo Games when, as the favourite to win multiple golds, she pulled out of most of her events.

She later revealed she was suffering from “the twisties”, where a gymnast loses sense of where they are in the air.

She faced high-profile criticism following her decision to drop out and has since been working with a therapist in Paris.

“The negative comments are painful up to a certain point,” she said.

“They hurt but I’m still in therapy working on all that, to make sure my mental health is well. But they (the critics) are really quiet now, so that’s strange.

“After all these years of putting the mental work in, it’s paid off. I’m super excited to be on this stage again.

“The Olympics is such a draining process for the athletes, and it’s multiple days of competition, so you definitely have to be on top of your mental as well as physical (health). As long as we’re doing that, then we’re good. And so far I feel good.

 


Image:Biles in action on the uneven bars. Pic: Reuters

“Once we’re out here, the floor is our stage. It feels so freeing for us because we’re in our element, we’re having fun, we’re doing what we love to do.”

Biles will conclude her campaign on Monday when she goes in the beam and floor finals.