GYMNASTICS poster girl Simone Biles looks set to quit Tokyo 2020 after opting out of her first two individual finals.
American Biles, who was expected to dominate the tournament and become one of the defining images of the Games, has instead developed into a dramatic storyline.
The 24-year-old Biles, who has admitted to significant mental issues, pulled out of the team competition final after a single vault.
She stayed inside the Ariake Gymnastics Centre to cheer her team-mates on to silver and was again a spectator for the all-round final won by Sunisa Lee.
Biles, though, had remained on the start list for the four apparatus finals tomorrow and Monday.
But US Gymnastics today announced: “After further consultation with medical staff, Simone Biles has decided to withdraw from the event finals for vault and the uneven bars.
“She will continue to be evaluated daily to determine whether to compete in the finals for floor exercise and balance beam.
“We remain in awe of Simone, who continues to handle this situation with courage and grace, and all of the athletes who have stepped up during these unexpected circumstances.”
Biles withdrew from the women’s team final and all-around final after turning in her lowest Olympic vault score in the opening rotation.
And after the unexpected display, the Ohioan revealed she didn’t ‘trust’ herself to produce the required performance.
She said: “After the performance I did, I just didn’t want to go on. I have to focus on my mental health.
“I just think mental health is more prevalent in sports right now.
After further consultation with medical staff, Simone Biles has decided to withdraw from the event finals for vault and the uneven bars
A US Gymnastics statement
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“We have to protect our minds and our bodies and not just go out and do what the world wants us to do.
“I don’t trust myself as much anymore. Maybe it’s getting older. There were a couple of days when everybody tweets you and you feel the weight of the world.
“We’re not just athletes. We’re people at the end of the day and sometimes you just have to step back.”
The sporting world has rallied around Biles and praised her for prioritising her mental health.
The four-time defending champion, however, has also received plenty of criticism – including from TV star Piers Morgan.
But on Friday, Biles posted a video of herself landing on her back in training as she attempted twisties.
The accompanying caption for the since-deleted video read: “For anyone saying I quit. I didn’t quit, my mind and body are simply not in sync.
“As you can see [in the video]. I don’t think you realize how hard this is on hard/competition surface.
“Nor do I have to explain why I put health first. Physical health is mental health.”
She added: ‘No, this was not happening before I left the USA,’ she wrote. ‘It randomly started after prelims competition the very next morning.
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“By that time no an alternate was not allowed to be placed in my position for you “know it alls”.
“We have four on a team for a reason. I chose not to continue team competition [and risk] losing a medal (of any color) for the girls/US.
“Also for my own safety and health.”
Source: Athletics - thesun.co.uk
