Simone Biles ‘not so sure’ about competing at Los Angeles Olympics

Nadal says he doesn’t miss playing tennis.

Biles and Nadal were feted at the Laureus Sport Awards ceremony.  

AFP, Madrid.

American gymnast Simone Biles, voted Sportswoman of the Year at the Laureus Sport Awards ceremony in Madrid, said she remained uncertain about whether she would compete at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

The 28-year-old, a seven-time Olympic champion, won three gold medals in Paris last year, making a thrilling return to the Olympic stage after a long mental health break.

“I’m enjoying my time off before I decide if I want to go back to the gym and compete,” she said at Monday’s ceremony.

“A lot of people think it’s just a one-year commitment, but it truly is the four years leading up to the Olympics.

“It’s in LA it’s back in the States, which is so exciting. But if I’m going to compete again, I’m not so sure.

“But I will be at the Olympics, whether it’s on the floor or in the stands.”

Swedish pole vaulter Armand Duplantis, the double Olympic champion and world record holder, was named Sportsman of the Year.

Duplantis, 25, took the award ahead of tennis great Novak Djokovic, Formula One world champion Max Verstappen, and French swimmer Leon Marchand.

“The Laureus Awards are the ultimate awards that we athletes want to win,” he said.

“I know because this is the fourth time I have been nominated–– and that proves it’s harder to win a Laureus than an Olympic gold medal.”

He follows four-time winner Usain Bolt as the second representative from track and field to win the award.

Another gymnast, Rebeca Andrade, won the Comeback of the Year award after winning gold in the floor at the Paris Games.

Barcelona’s Spanish football prodigy Lamine Yamal, who had an exceptional first full season for club and country, winning Euro 2024 with Spain at just 17, won the Breakthrough of the Year award.

Real Madrid, who won their 15th Champions League and La Liga, took the team award.

Rafael Nadal, who retired from tennis last November at the age of 38, was given a Sports Icon award, and surfer Kelly Slater a Lifetime Achievement award.

Meanwhile, Rafael Nadal insisted on Monday that he doesn’t “miss tennis” after being honoured with a Sporting Icon award at the Laureus World Sport Awards in Madrid.

The 38-year-old Spaniard, winner of 22 Grand Slam trophies, including 14 at Roland Garros, retired from the sport after his final match at the Davis Cup in Malaga in November.

“The truth is that I don’t miss tennis. Zero. I don’t miss it at all,” Nadal told reporters.

“But not because I finished tired of tennis or fighting against tennis, not at all.

“I finished my career happy, and if I could have, I would have carried on, because I loved what I was doing.

“It was my passion, and that’s been the case all my life. It’s just that when you realise that physically you can’t do it anymore… You try to close that chapter. And I closed it.”

Nadal suffered numerous injuries during his career, but resisted retiring as long as possible.

“I delayed making my final decision because I needed time to be sure it was the right one.

“What would have been hard was sitting on my sofa, wondering if I should keep trying to play.

“When I saw that my body wasn’t going to recover to the level I needed to continue enjoying myself on court, then I decided to stop.

“That’s why I don’t miss it,” Nadal added.

“Because I finished with the peace of mind of knowing that I’d given it my all, and that my body couldn’t give any more.”