Professional athletes are often the closest we have to real-life superheroes. That was certainly apparent during the 2024 Paris Olympics; no matter when you tuned in, you could see stars sprinting (although maybe not faster than a speeding bullet), performing feats of strength and soaring through the air with the greatest of ease.
But, for all those gifts, even Olympians can't beat one foe: Father Time. Like it or not, everyone will eventually reach the point where high-level competition is simply a bridge too far.
And with the 2028 Games coming to Los Angeles, that puts some potential retirements (or returns to competition) under the microscope. Will America's biggest names hang around for another four-year cycle to shine on home turf? Or will it be time to ride off into the sunset?
Let's break things down, at least as best as we can.
Which Team USA Athletes Can Compete for the Last Time at LA28?
Simone Biles
If you haven't heard, the American gymnast is kind of a big deal.
Biles has become the face of United States gymnastics and is deserving of her "GOAT" [greatest of all time] crown. Her trip to Paris added four medals (golds in Team, All-around and Vault plus a silver in Floor) to an impeccable résumé. That performance also came in the shadow of the 2020 Games, during which she famously stepped away from much of the competition due to "the twisties."
With that setback in the rearview mirror and her skills being as sharp as ever—Biles didn't back down on the difficulty front in Paris—she's got to be a lock for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, right?
The main issue would be time. As the cliché says, it waits for no one; that's especially true in gymnastics where the aging curve is accelerated. Had Gabby Douglas made the 2024 Olympics, she would have been the oldest American female gymnast to do so since 1952. Douglas is 28, and Biles is already 27.
Katie Ledecky
While Biles has stamped her authority on Olympic gymnastics, Katie Ledecky has also made waves in the swimming pool. She'll leave Paris with four more medals (two gold, one silver and one bronze), making her the most decorated swimmer in U.S. women's Olympic history; in the overall rankings, she only trails Michael Phelps.
But by the time the LA Games roll around, Ledecky will be 31. That's old for a high-level athlete, but she's not ready to throw in the towel just yet.
"I don't feel like I'm close to being finished in the sport yet," Ledecky said during her trip to Paris. "I'd love to continue on, and just seeing the kind of support that the French athletes are getting here, I think all the U.S. athletes are thinking about how cool that could be in Los Angeles (site of the 2028 Games) having the home crowd. So, it would be amazing to be able to compete there."
Jordan Chiles
During The Games, Chiles fielded a question about what her future holds. And while things were a bit ambiguous, it certainly seems like the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics are at least part of her thoughts.
"I know floor is coming up. That's my main focus, but you never know. You never know. I might have the four letters [UCLA] across my chest. You might see me in '28," she said. "As of right now, I think my main focus is kind of just finishing floor because this is my first time ever being in an event final. I'm really excited about that."
The gymnast also teased an announcement that would come on August 6, but that never arrived.
Chiles will be 27 when the next Summer Games roll around. While that doesn't automatically rule her out of the competition, it does suggest that LA28 could be her final shot at another Olympic appearance.
Gabby Douglas
Remember how Douglas would have been notably old (by gymnastics standards) had she reached the 2024 Olympics? That hasn't stopped her from keeping an eye on a trip to Hollywood in 2028.
When speaking to Newsweek ahead of this summer's Games, the American shared that she'd be watching the competition, which provides motivation and inspiration.
"Oh yeah, I love looking at other athletes and seeing how I can better myself," she told Newsweek. "And I love looking at different countries to see like 'Oh, can I do that? I would love to do that skill.' So I'll definitely be watching."
And, again, the door isn't closed on the future. Beyond keeping 2028 in her sights when withdrawing from this year's Xfinity U.S. Gymnastics Championships, she also alluded to continued competition when speaking with Newsweek.
"[Missing the 2024 Olympics is] bittersweet, but I am, I've been super grateful to have the career that I've had and also to move on from this and, like I said, to continue my gymnastics career and to do even more things that I didn't do in my previous era," Douglas added.
Stephen Nedoroscik AKA Pommel Horse Guy
Part of the joy of the Olympics is watching relatively unknown athletes step into the spotlight. Stephen Nedoroscik is one of those names after his pommel horse routine earned the U.S.'s men's gymnastics team a rare medal. He's since become an internet sensation, spawning countless memes and earning comparisons to Clark Kent.
And, if Nedoroscik has his way, the story won't end there.
In an Instagram post reflecting on his Paris experience, the gymnast ended things with a simple "Onto the next chapter... #2028".
Will his age (he'll be 29 by the next Summer Games) be a limiting factor? Or will his unique skillset be enough to keep him in the mix?
Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant
While we already know that LeBron James won't be suiting up for the 2028 games, there are some other modern greats who are reaching the end of their respective careers.
Kevin Durant will be 39 by the time the Olympics head to Los Angeles; Stephen Curry will be 40. No one can argue with their raw talent, but playing at a high level at that age is a challenge for even the best athletes. Curry, the Warriors sharpshooter, has already acknowledged that the 2024 Games was "probably, realistically, [his] last opportunity to even have a chance to play."
There is some logic for keeping the door ajar. Curry is a knockdown shooter, and that skill should be less affected by age than raw athleticism. Durant has shown a knack for stepping up for the national team—you don't become the all-time leading scorer by accident—and could use his length to mitigate a loss in footspeed.
But by the same token, Team USA is stacked. No matter who does or does not head to California, the Americans won't be short on talent.
That's where squad construction could also come into play. While it's unlikely that Curry and KD will be stars, they could have a role depending on other factors. Perhaps an injury will rule a floor-stretching shooter out. Alternatively, the coaching staff could want some additional veteran presence as a new batch of national team talent beds in.
At this point, though, only time will tell.
What Has Biles Said About LA28?
With all due respect to the other athletes who could sing their swan song in Los Angeles, only one of them has the GOAT title. With that in mind, let's consider what Biles has specifically said about her Olympic future.
"Never say never. The next Olympics is at home, so you just never know," she previously told reporters. "But I am getting really old."
Again, that age could be the determining factor. Biles admitted, for example, that it felt like her body was "slowly starting to shut down" during The Games. Even with her incredible talent, it's tough to imagine the physical challenge of competing at a high level won't be even steeper in four year's time.
Olympic Retirement Isn't the End of the Line
In the world of sports, retirement can prompt an abrupt exit from the public stage. For top-tier Olympic talents, though, there's plenty of opportunity to hang around in another capacity.
Phelps, for example, left the global stage behind, but has a swimming school and the Michael Phelps Foundation, which "provides families with the tools and support to be more confident and comfortable in the water and in life."
Elsewhere, Jenny Thompson left Olympic swimming behind to earn a medical degree and work as an anesthesiologist.
But what about famous gymnasts? Well, Mary Lou Retton made her way into endorsem*nts—remember her Wheaties box—in addition to television and movies. Shawn Johnson, in a modern twist on things, remains in the public eye through YouTube videos and podcasts.
And, turning to the basketball front, who can forget that sport's GOAT: Michael Jordan. While he said goodbye to the Olympic stage twice (MJ appeared as an amateur in 1984 and then returned when pros were allowed to compete in 1992), that didn't slow him down. He remained on the NBA hardwood into the early 2000s, albeit with some intermittent retirements and remains a household name to this day. He's also a minority owner of the Charlotte Hornets, is the namesake of the Jordan Brand and is the part-owner of the 23XI NASCAR Team.
What will the future hold for the current crop of U.S. Olympians? Whether they compete in 2028 or not, it's safe to assume they won't be completely forgotten.
