Tokyo 2020 Olympics: gymnast Simone Biles withdraws due to mental health

USA Gymnastics said in a statement: “Following further medical evaluation, Simone Biles has withdrawn from singles competition. We strongly support Simone’s decision and applaud her courage to prioritize her well-being. His courage, once again shown as a model very much. “

All eyes were on Biles as one of the Games’ superstars, as she looked to increase her gold medal count to nine, but recognized the pressure: “I really feel like the whole world is sometimes on my shoulders. ”

“Mental health. I have to do what’s right for me and focus on my mental health and not put my health and my life at risk,” she said Tuesday.

Simone Biles is the most successful American gymnast of all time and won four gold medals and one bronze at the Rio 2016 Olympics.

But she seemed to struggle to maintain her mental focus in Sunday’s qualifying rounds and pulled out of the team final after her first jump.

Then she said, “I don’t trust myself anymore. In two days everyone tweeted and I felt the weight of the world (fall on me). We’re not just athletes. We’re human. Sometimes. , we just have to stop and take a step back. ”

“I didn’t want to do something stupid and hurt myself. I feel like a lot of athletes speaking out (on mental health) helped me. It’s a very important event, it’s the Olympics. At the end of the day, we just don’t want to get out of there on a stretcher. ”

And in May, Japanese tennis player Naomi Osaka withdrew from Roland Garros to protect her sanity – a move that has been publicly supported by many athletes.

Many athletes have paid tribute to Simone Biles, including Jamaican gymnast Danusia Francis, who said: “I think Simone Biles has made everyone put their sanity before anything else. What a queen. The greatest performer of all time in more ways than one. “

Sarah Hirschland, CEO of the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee, said Bales “made us very proud,” adding: “We applaud your decision to put your mental health first above all else and our team in the United States. offers support and resources … as you go on your next trip. “

Biles was born in 1997 in Ohio and was adopted by her grandparents at the age of five.

She grew up in Texas and first did gymnastics on a trip when she was six. The club therefore sent her a letter at home asking to be included in the team.

She relied on home schooling to continue her athletic training and, at the age of nineteen, became the most successful gold medalist at the world championships.

Biles’ trainer says she can learn a new skill in three days, while others may take months or even years to master a new movement.

His ability to run vigorously allows him to add more elements to his routine than other athletes.

Biles even devised his own movement of a double back somersault, followed by a U-turn and then a dive.

At the height of the movement known by its name (Bailes movement), it jumps the equivalent of twice its length, which is 142 centimeters.

Her success makes her one of the most popular gymnasts. Earlier this year, she responded to critics who accused her of being overconfident, joking that she would print a photo of a goat on her clothes. GOATIt is the abbreviation of a four-word sentence meaning: the greatest of all time.

Since then, Simone has had her own Twitter emoji – a goat, of course – to become the first female athlete to receive this accolade.