Celebrated US gymnast Simone Biles citing "mental health concerns" on Tuesday shocked the world after announcing her withdrawal from the team final. The star gymnast's participation in the rest of the Tokyo Olympics is now uncertain.
This 24-year-old arrived in Japan with a massive selection on her shoulders after she named nine Olympics titles for herself. Biles could make a way into the team finals after qualifying that left the US women's team behind the Russian competitors.
On Tuesday, when Biles could not score anything on her opening vault, she took a dramatic spin and pulled out of the competition and caused dismay at the Ariake Gymnastics Centre.
After the US team could make high ranks in the bar, Biles reemerged, but the US team suspended her from the rest of the final.
Even with an injury, Biles stood strong and celebrated with her teammates as the game progressed.
The U.S. quartet had to settle for silver as the Russians claimed the gold for the first time since the 1992 Barcelona Games. Britain took the world by surprise as it claimed the bronze medal.
Biles confirmed her shocking exit from the games due to her psychological state after she collected her silver medal.
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“I have to do what’s right for me and focus on my mental health and not jeopardise my health and my wellbeing,” Biles said, as her teammates stood beside her.
Biles admitted, “I just don’t trust myself as much as I used to, and I don’t know if it’s age. I’m a little bit more nervous when I do gymnastics.”
“I feel like I’m also not having as much fun, and I know that this Olympic Games, I wanted it to be for myself,” she uttered, as she began to cry, and was comforted by her teammates. “It just sucks that it happens here at the Olympics Games. With the year that it’s been, I’m really not surprised the way it played out.”
‘Dealing with the demons’
After revealing that she was among the hundreds of young gymnasts who were sexually abused by the U.S. team doctor Larry Nassar, Biles openly spoke about her fight with depression. Larry is currently serving a sentence of life imprisonment.
On Tuesday she admitted that medicine and therapy were of little help but were not enough to deal with the trauma.
“I feel like that’s all been going well but then whenever you get in a high-stress situation you kind of freak out. You don't know how to handle all of those emotions, especially being at the Olympic Games,” she said. “Once I step up onto the mat it’s just me and my head, dealing with the demons in my head.”
USA Gymnastics issued a statement that said Biles was suffering from an unspecified “medical issue” and would be subject to daily assessment to determine her fitness to continue her Olympic campaign.
Biles has qualified for all the finals open to her in Tokyo. The next one is the all-around event on Thursday.
Biles said, “We are going to take it a day at a time and we’ll see what happens.”
On Monday, the 24-year old took to Instagram and admitted: “I truly do feel like I weigh the world on my shoulders at times.”
Biles’s exit from the games would mark a riveting turn of events as she was expected to dominate the games.
After more than half a century, Biles is on the path to becoming the first woman to retain an all-around title, with Soviet gymnast Larisa Latynina’s record of nine Olympic gold medals.
The U.S. team's bid for a third straight Olympic title after wins in London and Rio was foiled due to the dramatic events surrounding their leader.
While the Russians celebrated their rejuvenating win of being the first country to win both titles, the U.S. team consoled Biles.
Biles' teammate Sunsia Lees said, “She’s my idol, she’s my inspiration.”