When Simone Biles withdrew from the all-around final at the Tokyo Olympics, it opened a spot for Jade Carey, who successfully replaced her and went on to win a gold medal in floor exercise. It was the start of a special journey, and six years later, Carey, who is back after a hiatus, wants no regrets in her career, has set a retirement target for herself.
After years of nonstop training and competition, Carey recently returned to elite gymnastics following a two-year break. But this comeback is not meant to last forever. The Olympic gold medalist confirmed that the next Olympic cycle will likely be the final chapter of her career.
“I do really fully see this next three years or whatever it is, two years, as the end of my gymnastics journey,” Carey told Olympics.com. “So really just going out with being proud of myself and knowing that I gave it my all,” as she set the clock for a countdown toward the LA28 Games.
It wasn’t long ago when it was a dream come true for her to simply be in the Olympics. However, after winning gold in the women’s floor exercise final in Tokyo, her perspective changed. She knew that she could do more than that, and that’s what took her to Paris 2024. There, Carey was able to help Team USA to win gold in the women’s team competition and take home bronze in the women’s individual vault final.
But during the 2024 games, Carey struggled in floor qualification after falling on her final tumbling pass and stepping out of bounds, which kept her out of the floor final. After returning home, she went back to Oregon State University as a student assistant coach. For many gymnasts, that could have felt like the natural moment to walk away.
“I do really fully see this next three years or whatever it is, two years, as the end of my gymnastics journey.”@USAGym‘s @jadeacarey returns to elite gymnastics next month, already focused on what could be a grand finale in LA.
More from my chat: https://t.co/UPy2iUwSBH
— Scott Bregman (@sbregman87) May 12, 2026
But Carey could not shake the feeling that she still had more left. “I don’t want to regret that later down the road I didn’t give it one more shot,” she admitted.
Now, LA28 sits ahead as one final goal, and Carey already knows what that ending could mean for her. “I just feel like it would definitely be a good way to go out,” she said.
Tied as the fifth most decorated U.S. female gymnast in history with ten combined Olympic/World medals, Carey will leave behind an incredible legacy, along with an iconic collegiate career where she recorded multiple perfect 10.0s for the Oregon State Beavers.
While Jade Carey is preparing for one final Olympic run, the bigger question remains around her Paris teammate Simone Biles, whether she will return too?
Simone Biles torn over one last Olympic run
It has now been more than 600 days since Simone Biles last competed in elite gymnastics at the 2024 Summer Olympics, where she won three gold medals and one silver. Since then, she has stayed away from competition.
Instead, Simone Biles has spent much of her time focusing on her personal life. She has been traveling with her husband, Jonathan Owens, attending his NFL games with the Chicago Bears, opening a new restaurant, and even taking a delayed honeymoon in South Africa. But the idea of competing still excited her.
Speaking at the Laureus World Sports Awards, she admitted, “I’m excited to see the Opening Ceremony, the Closing Ceremony, just seeing the atmosphere change.” But she hasn’t clearly mentioned if she’ll be part of it.
With a little more than two years left until the 2028 Summer Olympics, Simone Biles knows she cannot delay the decision forever. “I feel like we’re still at a 50-50 and that we’re still on a time crunch here now it’s almost half of 2026…We’re going to have to make these decisions pretty quickly,” she said.
For Biles, the biggest factor is not whether her body can handle elite gymnastics again. It is whether she mentally wants to go through another Olympic cycle. “Mental health plays a big role in it because, physically, my coaches will get me in shape…I can get myself in shape. We believe in that ability. We’re really thankful that I’m still healthy. She added, “Mental is a huge thing, and it’s a lot of dedication on that because the road’s not easy. It’s long, but it’s still work.”
So, for now, Simone Biles still has not decided whether she will compete at LA28, but she hasn’t retired either. So, hopes of her coming back are high. However, other Paris Olympians like Hezly Rivera are widely expected to return. Meanwhile, Jordan Chiles and Suni Lee have yet to reveal their long-term Olympic plans.
