Simone Biles is back.

The gymnastics superstar plans to return to competition at the US Classic outside Chicago in early August, her first event since the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

USA Gymnastics announced on Wednesday that Biles, a seven-time Olympic medallist and the 2016 Olympic champion, was part of the women’s field for the single-day event set for August 5 at NOW Arena in Hoffman Estates, near Chicago.

Biles has taken most of the past two years off following her eventful stay in Japan, where her decision to remove herself from multiple events to focus on her mental health shifted the focus from the Games themselves to the overall well-being of the athletes.

She served as cheerleader as her American teammates won the team silver then sat out the all-around, vault and floor exercise finals she had qualified for while dealing with what is known as “the twisties” – a gymnastics term for when an athlete loses their spatial awareness when airborne.

Biles returned for the balance beam final, where she won a bronze medal that tied Shannon Miller’s record for most Olympic medals by an American female gymnast.

She hinted that she might compete in the Paris 2024 Olympics but only after taking a lengthy break.

The past two years have been a whirlwind of sorts. She headlined her post-Olympic tour in the autumn of 2021 and married NFL player Jonathan Owens – now a defensive back for the Green Bay Packers – this northern hemisphere spring.

The 26-year-old Biles has also become one of the most vocal advocates for athletes finding space to protect their mental health after her stand in Japan put the issue front and centre.

The US Classic is one of the marquee events on USA Gymnastics’ annual calendar and typically serves as a warm-up for the national championships, this year scheduled for late August in San Jose.