Simone Biles has spoken out about the outpouring of support she’s received in the wake of bowing out of this week’s gymnastics competitions at the Tokyo Olympics. Simone withdrew from the women’s gymnastics team final, as well as the individual all-around, to focus on her mental health and well-being. The decision was met with some wholly inappropriate backlash from trolls who have no idea what they’re talking about but was also met with a huge amount of support from fans and fellow athletes proud of Simone focusing on her mental health.
Simone hopped onto Twitter and Instagram on Wednesday to speak about the impact that everyone’s encouragement has had on her, saying, “The outpouring love & support I’ve received has made me realize I’m more than my accomplishments and gymnastics, which I never truly believed before.”
Simone previously spoke to reporters about her decision to withdraw, saying, “I just never felt like this going into a competition before. I tried to go out here and have fun, and warmup in the back went a little bit better, but once I came out here, I was like, ‘No, mental is not there.’” She added, “I didn’t want to do something silly out there and get injured. So I thought it was best if these girls took over and did the rest of the job, which they absolutely did.”
She also spoke to Hoda Kotb on Today, saying, “Physically, I feel good, I’m in shape. Emotionally, that kind of varies on the time and moment. Coming to the Olympics and being head star isn’t an easy feat, so we’re just trying to take it one day at a time and we’ll see.”
Simone has four final events, which begin on Monday. As of now, it’s unclear if she will choose to participate in the events. On Wednesday, USAG said in a statement, “Simone will continue to be evaluated daily to determine whether or not to participate in next week’s individual event finals. We wholeheartedly support Simone’s decision and applaud her bravery in prioritizing her well-being. Her courage shows, yet again, why she is a role model for so many.”
Yes to this!
