The Olympic Games in Tokyo has truly been a must-watch event, with twists and turns at every corner. The latest twist comes in the form of United States superstar gymnast Simone Biles, who has made the surprise announcement that she will be stepping back from the competition. This comes after the athlete dropped out of the women’s team event after one vault, reports IOL.
The trailblazer has often been considered the greatest female gymnast of all time but went on to shock the world when she withdrew from the competition after a disappointing attempt in the first rotation. Made even more confusing was the fact that this has been an event she had dominated so many times.
According to Biles, the reason for the withdrawal is not injury-related, but she stated that she was “dealing with a few things,” reported Fox News.
According to Biles, her mental health is more important than sports.
Only a few days prior, the athlete took to Instagram to share her thoughts, revealing that she felt the “weight of the world on my shoulders at times.“
In the end, Biles made the difficult decision to step aside, for her team and for herself.
“It’s like fighting all those demons and coming out here. I have to put my pride aside. I have to do it for the team,” she told reporters after the team competition.
“And then at the end of the day, it’s like ‘you know what, I have to do what is right for me and focus on my mental health and not jeopardize my health and my well-being,'” she said.
Biles is not the first athlete to put their mental health first. Naomi Osaka famously pulled out of the French Open to focus on her mental health.
Social media has come to Biles’ defence following her announcement:
View this post on Instagram
ALSO READ:
SA surfer Bianca Buitendag knocks out seven-time world champion to reach quarter-finals
Picture: Twitter @USA Gymnastics