What Happened to Simone Biles at Tokyo Olympics? Why She Withdrew From 4 Gymnastic Events

Gymnast Simone Biles was predicted to bring location a slew of golden medals astatine nan Tokyo Olympics, but her dreams ended successful disappointment. Here’s why she didn’t compete successful 4 awesome events.

What Happened to Simone Biles astatine nan Tokyo Olympics?

Simone went into nan arena arsenic nan astir dressed up gymnast of each time, but she began having problems earlier nan title sewage underway. She stumbled during warmups and said successful her Netflix docuseries Rising, successful which nan first 2 episodes dropped connected July 17, 2024, that she knew things were going to beryllium “bad bad.”

The jock didn’t complete her required twists during nan vault and had a unsmooth landing while successful title for nan individual all-around. In a video taken hours afterward, Simone confessed, “If I could’ve ran retired of that stadium, I would have.” Instead, she withdrew from nan event.

“After further aesculapian evaluation, Simone Biles has withdrawn from nan last individual all-around title astatine nan Tokyo Olympic Games, successful bid to attraction connected her intelligence health,” a connection from nan sport’s governing assemblage publication connected July 27, 2021. “We wholeheartedly support Simone’s determination and applaud her bravery successful prioritizing her well-being. Her courageousness shows, yet again, why she is simply a domiciled exemplary for truthful many.”

What Are nan Twisties successful Gymnastics?

The four-time golden medalist was said to beryllium suffering from nan “twisties,” wherever an jock loses consciousness while they are successful mid-air, usually owed to a intelligence block, which makes it incredibly difficult to onshore safety.

Simone “liked” a July 28, 2021, tweet that read, “The twisties virtually make you want to discontinue gymnastics because they don’t conscionable spell away. They make it truthful difficult to travel into nan gym each time knowing your mind and assemblage are fighting against each other. Most gymnasts tin decidedly callback erstwhile they’ve had them and it’s ne'er fun.”

The Ohio autochthonal confirmed she had nan twisties successful a July 30, 2021, post, penning connected Instagram, “I can’t moreover fathom twisting. I earnestly cannot comprehend really to twist. Strangest and weirdest point arsenic good arsenic feeling.”

Simone went connected to retreat from competing successful nan uneven bars, vault and individual level exercise. She returned for her first event, nan equilibrium beam final, wherever Simone made a singular comeback. She took location a bronze badge connected August 3, 2021, successful a scaled-down type of her highly difficult routine.

Simone Had a Bad Feeling Ahead of nan Tokyo Olympics

“I’ve ever had really bully intuition astir things,” Simone explains successful section 1 of her Netflix docuseries. “Like, freaky. I ne'er show group astir it, but I tin consciousness a batch of things that are going to hap earlier it does happen. And unfortunately, I felt that measurement astir nan [2020 Tokyo] Olympics.”

Simone Biles Thought nan Tokyo Olympics Would End Her Career

“I ne'er thought I was going to beryllium competing again aft Tokyo,” Simone explained successful nan series. “I had to conflict demons, time successful and time retired successful training. I really person to beryllium to myself that I tin do this. I get to constitute my ain ending.”

Simone Biles Wants Redemption successful nan 2024 Paris Olympics

At nan property of 27, Simone won her ninth all-around title astatine nan U.S. Gymnastics Championships successful Fort Worth, Texas, connected June 2, 2024. She earned a spot connected nan U.S. Olympic team connected June 30, 2024, pinch nan highest people successful nan competition.

“I ne'er want to look backmost successful 10 years and say, ‘Oh, what if I could’ve done different Olympic rhythm aliases astatine slightest tried?’” Simone explained successful nan docuseries. “I didn’t want to beryllium acrophobic of nan athletics anymore.”