With four Olympic gold medals and 23 world championship gold medals, Simone Biles is considered one of the most decorated gymnasts in history. Following the release of Simone Biles Rising, a Netflix docuseries about Biles' return to the Olympics, there has been renewed interest in her withdrawal from the Tokyo Olympics three years ago.
What happened to Simone Biles during the women's gymnastics team final at the Tokyo Olympics?
Here's what we learned about the reasons behind Simone Biles' withdrawal from the 2020 Summer Olympics.
Although Biles entered the Tokyo Olympics as one of the favorites to win gold in multiple individual events, she struggled from the start. Despite playing a crucial role in the U.S. qualifying for the team final, coming in second behind Russia, Biles struggled during her routines. After failing to complete standard twists, she opted out of the team competition, citing mental health issues.
"After my performance I just didn't want to continue," the athlete later said. "I have to focus on my mental health. I think mental health is more prevalent in sport now. We have to protect our minds and our bodies and not just do what the world wants us to do. I don't trust myself as much anymore. Maybe I'm getting older. There were a few days when everyone was tweeting you and you felt the weight of the world." (via BBC News)
