From Balance Beams to Ice Rinks: How Simone Biles Is Redefining Strength and Style with Athleta (Full information 👇 💬)

I Don’t Just Have To Be A Gymnast”: Simone Biles Glides Into a Bold New Chapter on Ice and Beyond md03

Simone Biles isn’t ready to get back in the gym yet. The Olympic gold medallist is the most decorated gymnast of all time and undoubtedly one of the most dominant and greatest athletes to ever grace sports, but these days, she’s taking time for herself. After competing for 22 years, Biles is on a “break” from gymnastics. Now, she’s focusing on hobbies like horseback riding, ice skating, pilates and long walks with her husband, Chicago Bears safety, Jonathan Owens. On NFL game day, you can find her on the field giving Owens a good luck kiss (his one pre-game superstition) and showing out in various football-appropriate ‘fits.

Lately, football Sunday has turned into a who’s who of WAGs (wives and girlfriends) — celebs like Ciara, Hailee Steinfeld, Taylor Swift, and Normani are all partnered up with players — and their fashion makes weekly headlines. For Biles, game days are “so fun” but over Zoom, she says the attention is stressful: “I wish we didn’t have to walk the runway so much. I’m just there supporting my man.” It’s a good thing Biles has her own collection with Athleta to keep her looking good on game days. She even teased a custom Athleta look for the Bears’ upcoming faceoff against the Minnesota Vikings this weekend.

Biles and Athleta have been partnering for years but this marks the Olympian’s second women’s and girls’ collection for the activewear brand. Like her last Athleta collab, the collection is affordable, size inclusive, and includes intergenerational styles as well as accessories. Whether you’re looking for soft hoodies, performance-ready tights (Biles told R29 that the Elation Ultra High Rise Shine 7/8 Legging is one of her all-time favorites), barrel-leg sweats, or a new fall jacket (the Sateen Bomber is another Biles must-have), Biles has you covered with pieces that are deserving of a game-day catwalk.

Throughout our chat, Biles’ excitement for the collection is palpable but so is her joy for this current moment in her life. She’s letting herself be bad at things (“I’m learning every day!” she says) and she’s soaking in a softer, more “selfish” life. To put it simply, Biles seems free. It’s beautiful to behold, and even more inspiring that the woman who landed the hardest vault in the world so flawlessly that they renamed it after her is now happily losing at darts to her friends. After all of Biles’ public mental health struggles, the normal, quiet contentment she describes to me feels like her biggest win yet.