Olympic star Simone Biles leads campaign to encourage kids to live healthy

WASHINGTON — When Simone Biles made the announcement to kick off Triple Play Day on Thursday, kids craned their necks to see her. Though the 4-9 Olympic star was about the same height as many in the audience, Biles stood out.

More than 300 kids from the greater Washington, D.C. area came to hear Biles’ advice on staying active and achieving their goals. Then they hit the field to start putting that advice in play.

Last summer at the Rio Olympics, Biles set an American record for the gold medals in a single games in women’s gymnastics, with four. She led the USA to the top of the podium in the team competition, dazzled in the all-around, and tacked on two more golds and a bronze as well. In the process she became the most decorated gymnast in American history.

After Rio, Biles announced she would be taking time off from gymnastics. Next month will mark a year since the Games, but Biles still has not set an exact timeline for her return.

“I haven’t set a specific date of when I’m going to come back, but probably in the fall I’ll start doing basics and conditioning for a couple of months before I get to anything serious,” she said.

Part of that comeback process will include deciding on a coach. Aimee Boorman, Biles’ longtime coach, left World Champions Center shortly after Rio. Biles said she does not necessarily have a coach in mind right now.

“I think we’ll start doing that as the process comes,” she said.

In the meantime, Biles, 20, is enjoying time away from the gym. She’s bounced across the country, from a book tour, competed on Dancing With The Stars and raked in honors at the ESPYs and Kids’ Choice Awards.

Triple Play Day is coordinated by the Boys and Girls Clubs of America, the Anthem Foundation and Coca-Cola and encourages kids to exercise their minds, bodies and souls. The event is part of a competition among participating clubs to achieve five million minutes of activity from kids across the country.

“It is pretty crazy, because you dream of it as a kid — you’re like ‘Oh my gosh, I wanna go to the Olympics,’ ” she said.

“Now to inspire the kids, it’s a different perspective. It’s kind of cool, because I know what it’s like to be in their steps, so hopefully they leave with some inspiration.”

Biles was there to inspire but also to play. She took a stab at the matching tiles game, cheered on competitors in the obstacle course relays and even helped one small racer after she slipped, holding hands as they walked to get a bandage.

She mainly cheered kids on from the side, a warm-up for February, when she will host the first Biles International Invitational in her hometown of Spring, Texas. Biles won’t compete, because the event is for non-elite gymnasts. However, she still thinks the event can help young athletes launch their careers.

“I feel like it’s pretty cool, because I remember to going to meets as a kid, like the Mary Lou Retton Invitational,” she said. “Once I won, I got first place, she crowned me, so that was a super exciting moment for me. I’ll always remember that. Hopefully I’ll do the same with those kids, and get to interact with them.”