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Simone Biles pulls out of team gymnastics finals ‘to focus on mental health’ as US dominance ends
American gymnast Simone Biles says mental health concerns forced her to pull out of the team gymnastics finals at the Tokyo Olympics.
Key points:
- Simone Biles withdrew after one vault during the team final
- The USA team came into the event as heavy favourites, but lost out to the ROC
- Biles is the top qualifier for Thursday’s individual all-around final
The event was won by the Russian Olympic Committee team, with the USA finishing in second and Biles pulling out after a poor first vault that saw her bail from the Amanar she was attempting after 1.5 rotations instead of completing the expected 2.5.
USA Gymnastics initially said Biles’s withdrawal was down to a “medical issue”, but she later said it was due to her own mental health concerns.
“After the performance I did I just didn’t want to go on,” said Biles, fighting back tears as she met with the media.
“I do not trust myself anymore, I tried to go out there for the team and they stepped up to the plate.
“I’m just trying to gear up for the next test.”
That next test is scheduled to be the individual women’s all-around final on Thursday, but Biles said she was unsure if she would take the floor.
The 23-year-old was the top qualifier for the event, and if she competes she will aim to become the first woman to retain the title since Věra Čáslavská in 1968.
“I have to focus on my mental health … we’re going to see about Thursday,” she said.
“We’re going to take it a day at a time and see what happens.
“We have to protect our minds and our bodies and not just go out and do what the world wants us to do.
“I just think mental health is more prevalent in sports right now.”
After her disappointing vault Biles was signified by an “R” on the competitor list before the bars began, indicating she would not continue in the competition.
The International Gymnastics Federation confirmed she would play no further part in the team event, with Jordan Chiles coming in to replace her.
Pressure has been building
One of the most recognisable athletes at the Games, Biles alluded to feeling the pressure of performing at the Olympics in a social media post after the preliminaries.
“It wasn’t an easy day or my best, but I got through it,” she wrote on Instagram.
“I truly do feel like I have the weight of the world on my shoulders at times.
“I know I dust it off and make it seem like pressure doesn’t affect me, but damn sometimes it’s hard hahaha!
“The Olympics is no joke.”
Biles elaborated on those comments when facing the media in Tokyo, saying the pressure of expectation had weighed on her, as well as her own doubts about her form.
“There were a couple of days when everybody tweets you and you feel the weight of the world,” Biles said.
“We’re not just athletes, we’re people at the end of the day, and sometimes you just have to step back.
“I didn’t want to go out and do something stupid and get hurt.
“I feel like a lot of athletes speaking up has really helped.
“It’s so big, it’s the Olympic Games, at the end of the day we don’t want to be carried out of there on a stretcher.”
History still beckons
Biles had been leading the United States’ defence of its women’s gymnastics team title, and is looking to add to her haul of four gold medals won at the 2016 Rio Olympics.
In her vault in the team event, Biles recorded a disappointing score of 13.766 and all three Russians who vaulted scored higher, as did her US teammates.
Biles then dropped out of the competition, amid scenes of confusion.
After briefly leaving the arena, Biles returned and watched the remainder of the competition, providing support to her teammates.
The USA had won the last two team titles, but Russia, represented by the ROC, claimed victory for the first time since competing as the United Team at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics.
Biles remained in the arena throughout the remainder of the competition, and was seen congratulating the ROC team members after they confirmed their victory.
She will still be awarded a silver medal along with her teammates.
Biles will now be unable to top Russian gymnast Larisa Latynina’s women’s record of nine gold medals won over three Olympic Games: Melbourne 1956, Rome 1960 and Tokyo 1964.
However, she could equal that tally by winning all five remaining medals on offer, which would also equal the largest number of gold medals won by any woman in any Olympic sport.
Only Michael Phelps, with his 23 swimming golds, has won more individual medals.
Biles could tie Latynina, swimmer Mark Spitz and track and field athletes Paavo Nurmi and Carl Lewis on nine.
Reuters/ABC
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