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The 2028 U.S. Olympic gymnastics team will be the first to compete on home soil since 1996. It may also be their first without Simone Biles since 2012.
Balance beam gold medalist Shawn Johnson won one of two U.S. Olympic golds in Beijing in 2008, eight years before Biles arrived.
Now, with the Los Angeles Games nearly two years away, Johnson responded to whether she believes the U.S. can win gold if Biles doesn’t compete.
“Historically, the USA is the most dominant gymnastics team we’ll ever see, always. So I have the utmost confidence in the USA gymnastics team,” Johnson told Pakinomist Digital.
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Team USA gymnasts Simone Biles, left, Jordan Chiles, Hezly Rivera, Jade Carey and Sunisa Lee celebrate winning the gold medal at the 2024 Olympic Games, July 30, 2024, in Paris. (Tom Weller/VOIGT/Getty Images)
“Simone is the greatest ever, she has carved her place in history forever. And that will never change. But she has also set a standard and a precedent for our country that I believe will continue forever.”
Johnson plans to be there in Los Angeles to watch in person. When asked which gymnasts she’s most excited to see compete in LA, Johnson said, “I have so much faith in all these little ones coming up and the ones who want to repeat… then all of them.”
With advances in sports science and wellness weighing more heavily than ever on which country gains competitive advantage, Johnson revealed the mindset she believes female gymnasts should apply to their health.
“I just want to say to any young female gymnast who wants to go to the Olympics, to listen to your body. I think a lot of girls, especially in gymnastics, push themselves so hard. And it’s really important that you prioritize your health, mentally and physically, above everything else,” she said.
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Team USA gymnast Shawn Johnson in action during the women’s balance beam final at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China. (Al Tielemans/Sports Illustrated via Getty Images)
The U.S. women’s gymnastics team is coming off a historically poor performance at the world championships in October, winning just two overall medals and no gold.
It was the country’s lowest medal total in the international competition since 2001.
The only two medalists for the United States were Leanne Wong, who won an all-around silver, and Joscelyn Roberson, who won bronze on vault.
“It was rough,” said American host Chellsie Memmel, according to the report Olympics.com. “There were some very good pieces, but then it was tough. I didn’t feel like there was an attack on their events and their skills in general. There were still good things, but I have work to do.
Team USA gymnast Simone Biles waves after performing on the balance beam at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
It was only the third year since 2006 that the U.S. did not finish with the most women’s medals since 2006, aside from 2017 and 2021, when it was tied for most with Japan and Russia.
Biles, Suni Lee, Jade Carey and Jordan Chiles were the notable athletes on the 2024 USA Paris team that won three gold medals, including team and all-around, who did not represent the United States at the world championships.
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Biles has not ruled out competing at the 2028 LA Games, but has also said she has taken time off from gymnastics, according to Olympics.com.
“I’m not sure what 2028 looks like, but I’ll be there in some capacity. I just don’t know right now if it’s on the floor or in the stands. But I definitely want to go and be a part of that movement,” Biles said.
