‘I definitely have to apologize to Aly for calling her grandma because I feel like I’m way older now,’ Biles said
Simone Biles, the most decorated gymnast in history, has just qualified for her third Olympic Games. Now at 27 years old, she reflects on calling her friend and former team captain, Aly Raisman, the “grandma” of the team when Raisman was just 22.
After securing her spot on the U.S. Olympic women’s gymnastics team, Biles talked with the press and addressed her earlier comments about Raisman. She noted that she feels much older now and understands how Raisman might have felt back then.
‘So now, I definitely have to apologize to Aly for calling her grandma because, whew, I feel like I’m way older now than when I called her grandma when we were younger,’ Biles said during the press conference, according to Gymnastics Now.
‘And you know, it’s what, 11 p.m.? So, it’s definitely past my bedtime, and I know Aly would be cracking up right now. But yeah, it’s crazy. I’m a lot older and more mature. What was the rest of the question? See, I’m already forgetting,’ she joked.
As the senior member of Team USA, Biles also talked about how her body and recovery process has changed compared to the Rio Games eight years ago.
‘I definitely have to take care of recovery mentally and physically. After the Classics, I swore I couldn’t walk. I was hobbling to the plane. After the Championships, I felt a bit better. And after day one of Trials, I was actually surprised I could walk. So I was like, woo, I’m not as sore, I’m not hurting,’ Biles explained.
Biles continued, ‘So recovery takes a big part. Back in Rio, I could do anything. I didn’t need tape, nothing. I was just like a little hamster on a wheel, always running.’
Biles led throughout the U.S. women’s Olympic trials, and as she prepares for the Paris Games, she becomes the fourth American woman to make three gymnastics teams.
The upcoming Olympics are also a means of redemption for her after experiencing a severe case of the “twisties” during Tokyo in 2021, which caused her to withdraw from most events.
To follow all Olympic and Paralympic hopefuls, visit TeamUSA.com. Watch the Paris Olympics and Paralympics beginning July 26 on NBC and Peacock.
