"One day it'll hit differently whenever I walk away from the sport" - Simone Biles weighs in on her superstar status

Simone Biles recently spoke about her mindset about her superstar status days after her victorious Paris Olympics campaign. The American gymnast is currently performing in the Gold Over America Tour, which was launched by her.

Days after the conclusion of the 2024 Summer Games, Biles launched the second edition of the Gold Over America Tour in partnership with Athleta, with the aim of celebrating the gymnasts of the country. Biles and her team, which comprises Jordan Chiles, Hezly Rivera, Jade Carey, Joscelyn Roberson, Paul Juda, Fred Richardson, Yul Moldauer, Brody Malone, and Shane Wiskus, are currently on their 20th stop of the tour, which will be held at St. Charles on October 15.

Amidst this tour, the 27-year-old gymnast appeared in an online interview with WTHR's Annie Marie Tiernon. Here, she was asked about how she feels about being looked upon as a superstar of her sport. In response, Biles acknowledged that it 'shocks' her but she is aware of the impact she's had on people who look up to her and follow the sport.

"Yeah, I think it still shocks me just because I am still so involved in the sport, one day I think it will hit a bit differently whenever I walk away from the sport. But, I do understand the impact that I have, not just with the kids but the adults that are watching our sport and keeping along. But it's still wild to me," Simone Biles said (3:19 onwards).

Biles proved her prowess as a formidable gymnast by dominating at the 2024 Summer Games. She won four medals in the event, including three gold medals. She won her first gold in Paris in the team all-around event, where she and her team scored 171.296 points to stand atop the podium ahead of Italy and Brazil.

Following this, she won her second gold in the individual all-around event, where she registered 59.131 points to defeat her Brazilian rival Rebeca Andrade, who finished second. Biles won her third gold at the French Capital in the vault event, where she attained 15.300 points.

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Simone Biles detailed the significance of Gold Over America Tour

Simone Biles talked about the reason behind the Gold Over America Tour holding importance for her. In an exclusive interview with Olympics.com published on 21 September this year, the American gymnast shared that the event signified the 'outcome' of taking care of one's mental health and working hard.

"Obviously, we wanted to share that story of 'it's okay to not be okay, but this one is the outcome of putting in that work, taking care of yourself, and where it gets you," Simone Biles said.

She added:

"It's just what happens after you take care of yourself and the success that brings, and so I think that's the exciting part about the story and what the show brings."

After the stop at St.Charles, Simone Biles, and her team will head to the next stop of the Gold Over America Tour, which is Kansas City on October 16, 2024.