Simone Biles is "keeping the door open."
In an interview with the Today show on Aug. 4—following her bronze medal victory in the Tokyo Games—the decorated gymnast said that when it comes to competing in the Olympics again in the future, she is optimistic.
"I think I have to relish and take this Olympics in and kind of recognize what I've done with my career," she told host Hoda Kotb. "Because after 2016, I didn't get to do that." (During the 2016 Rio Olympics, Simone won an impressive four gold medals). Adding that when it comes to her foreseeable participation in four years, she is, in fact, "keeping the door open."
Simone, who scored a bronze medal after competing in the balance beam finals on August 3, also spoke candidly on how it felt to compete again after previously withdrawing from events to focus on her mental health, citing that her "mind and body were not in sync" at the time.
"It's so crazy," she shared about the experience of competing again. "I'm happy I was able to get back out there and do one more routine. It just felt really amazing."
"I'm proud of myself for the way I pushed up and even learned that dismount that I haven't done up in years and just put up a good set," Simone continued. "That's all I really wanted, I wasn't expecting to walk away with a medal or anything. I just wanted to go out there, do it for myself and I did."
Although the Olympian will be leaving Tokyo after snagging two medals and making what she called the "best decision for her team and herself," by focusing on her wellbeing, she wants fans to know that she's proud of herself beyond the accolades.
"I'm more than my medals and gymnastics," she said. "I'm a human being and I've done some courageous things outside of this sport, as well, and I'm not a quitter."
Take a look back at Simone's Olympic journey for yourself:
Simone reacts during the gymnastics women's team final.
Simone and teammate Grace Mc Callum react during the gymnastics women's team final.
Simone and teammate Grace McCallum react during the gymnastics women's team final.
Simone appears at the women's gymnastics team final.
Simone, Grace McCallum and Jordan Chiles cheer for teammate Sunisa "Suni" Lee as she competes on uneven bars during the women's gymnastics team final.
Simone appears with her teammates at the women's gymnastics team final.
Simone Biles appears mid-air during her performance at the women's gymnastics team final on July 27.
Simone lands her vault in the women's gymnastics team final. The athlete was scheduled to perform 2.5 twists in the air completed just 1.5.
Simone later explains at a press conference that she "got "a little bit lost in the air," and later confirmed she had developed the "twisties," or mid-air disorientation.
Disappointed with her performance, Simone walks off the competition floor after her vault at the women's gymnastics team final on July 27. She later withdraws from the event.
Despite withdrawing from the women's gymnastics team final after one rotation, Simone helped her team win the silver medal. Here she is pictured with teammates Jordan Chiles, Grace McCallum and Sunisa "Suni" Lee.
Simone and Jordan Chiles react after receiving their silver medals.
Simone helps congratulate the Russian team on their gold medal victory.
Simone and Jordan Chiles celebrate on the podium of the gymnastics women's team final.
Amid ongoing mental health concerns and case of the "twisties," Simone opts out of the women's individual all-around final.
But Simone did join fellow Team USA members Jordan Chiles and MyKayla Skinner and Riley McCusker—who did not qualify for the Tokyo Olympics—to support their teammate Sunia "Suni" Lee" from the stands during the women's gymnastics individual all-around final.
The Olympic gold medalist smiled and waved from the stands at the women's individual all-around final on July 29.
Simone withdraws from the uneven bars and vault finals. In the latter, she is replaced by MyKayla Skinner, who appeared to end her 2020 Tokyo Olympics journey days earlier when she failed to qualify for individual finals.
After pulling out of her fifth event, the floor exercise final, Simone was seen cheering on her teammates at the women's gymnastics uneven bars final.