Carl Lewis' advice pushed Simone Biles to start her comeback preparations for the Paris Olympics 2024

Simone Biles wasn't sure if she would be able to return to gymnastics after experiencing the "twisties" in 2021, which led to a year-long break from the sport. She would occasionally visit her gym, the World Champions Center, but it wasn't until a conversation with nine-time Olympic gold medalist Carl Lewis that she began to seriously consider a comeback.

Biles didn't complete her vault routine during the team finals at the Tokyo Olympics, claiming she wasn't sure of her position in the air, a condition known as twisties where a gymnast’s mind and body aren't in sync. She withdrew from every event final she had qualified for except the balance beam, where she won the bronze medal.

Following the Tokyo Games, the 27-year-old didn't compete until the 2023 U.S. Classic. She would go to the gym occasionally before a conversation with track and field legend Carl Lewis changed her outlook.

"He told her, 'It’ll come back faster than you think. If you can do it, do it. You don’t want regrets,’" Biles' husband Jonathan Owens told USA Today.

From 2016 to 2023, Simone Biles’ outlook on the sport changed. She considered gymnastics everything earlier, but now she just considers it a part of herself and looks to strike a balance between professional and personal life.

“Gymnastics was everything to me. And it still is, but I just have a different outlook on it,” she said. “Gymnastics is something that I do, but this is who I am outside of the sport. Rather than making it a whole blob.”

The four-time Olympic gold medalist eventually made a schedule with her coaches, Laurent and Cecile Landi, which helped her balance sports and personal life. Come Paris Olympics, the 27-year-old is ready to shine again.

Simone Biles among favorites for the all-around gold at the Paris Olympics 2024

2024 U.S. Olympic Team Trials: Simone Biles qualifies for Paris Olympics (Photo: Getty)

After making her comeback at the 2023 U.S. Classic, Simone Biles has never recorded an all-around score less than 58.325. Her scores have ranged between 58.325 to 60.450 and is the only gymnast to score above 60 in the current Quad's code of points.

The 27-year-old hasn't even lost any all-around competition since her comeback and heads into the Paris Olympics as the overwhelming favorite for the gold medal.

Although Brazil’s Rebeca Andrade and teammate Suni Lee are expected to put up a fight, as long as Biles performs well, she should be able to win the gold medal.