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Simone Biles is getting back on the mat!
On Thursday, the four-time gold medalist confirmed that she’s returning to gymnastics and will be competing in the 2023 U.S. Classic next month, her first competition event since the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan.
“sorry I’ve been a little MIA since the announcement,” Biles tweeted. “I’m overwhelmed with all of your messages, support & love! excited to get back out on the competition floor! XOXO.”
sorry I’ve been a little MIA since the announcement 🤍 I’m overwhelmed with all of your messages, support & love! excited to get back out on the competition floor! XOXO 🫶🏾
— Simone Biles (@Simone_Biles) July 5, 2023
The event takes place about a year ahead of the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, France, providing a warmup for the decorated gymnast, who has yet to announce whether or not she’ll be competing at the Paris Games.
Team USA’s official Twitter account shared the news late last month, tweeting, “Biles is back,” along with a photo of the Olympian and a note about her returning to competition in August.
BILES 👏 IS 👏 BACK 👏 pic.twitter.com/uGUAIBv7ZL
— Team USA (@TeamUSA) June 28, 2023
Biles spoke about the possibility of competing in Paris during an appearance on “The Late Late Show With James Corden” back in September.
“I think, right now, I still have to heal mentally and physically, so I will be in Paris. I just don’t know at what role, if that is an athlete or an audience member, so we’ll just have to see,” Biles shared with Corden.
Biles shocked the world in Tokyo in 2021 when the presumed gold medal favourite made the difficult decision to withdraw herself from the team competition, the all-around, and the majority of her individual events for her own mental health and safety.
Later that year, she told ET that she received an “overwhelming amount of love and support of outreach of fans, family.”
“I’m just very blessed to still be in this position and to have so many people reaching out, showing love and respect for me,” she said. “It shines a whole new light on the sport and ourselves as not just an athlete, but as a human.”
Biles has been busy during her time away from the mat. She tied the knot with NFL star Jonathan Owens this spring, not once but twice — first in an intimate city hall ceremony and then in a lavish fairy-tale ceremony in Mexico.
For more on the gymnast, check out the video below.
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