Simone Biles Withdraws From Olympic Individual All-Around Competition
Simone Biles will not be competing in Thursday’s individual all-around competition, according to a statement from USA Gymnastics.
The news comes after the four-time Olympic gold medalist withdrew from the women's gymnastics team final event on Tuesday, July 27.
“After further medical evaluation, Simone Biles has withdrawn from the final individual all-around competition at the Tokyo Olympic games, in order to focus on her mental health,” USA Gymnastics shared in a statement on Wednesday, July 28. "We wholeheartedly support Simone’s decision and applaud her bravery in prioritizing her well-being."
“Her courage shows, yet again, while she is a role model for so many,” the statement concluded.
Biles was hoping to repeat her title from the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games and become the first black woman to win back-to-back titles in the all-around competition — which tests athletes in vault, uneven bars, balance beam, and floor competition — in 53 years.
After delivering an altered vault performance in the first event of the team final, Bile stepped off of the floor and joined the sidelines in her warm-up instead. She told her coach and a team doctor that she was not in the right “headspace” to continue for fear that she would injure herself or jeopardize the team’s chances at winning a medal.
“I’m still struggling with some things,” she said after the event. “It just sucks when you are fighting with your own head.”
The U.S. team continued with Sunisa Lee, Jordan Chiles and Grace McCallum to finish the competition, taking home a silver medal.
USA Gymnastics released a statement following Biles’ exit from the team final on Tuesday, July 27, which read: “Simone Biles has withdrawn from the team final competition due to a medical issue.”
Biles later told reporters that she was struggling with her mental “demons,” saying, “I didn’t want to go out and do something stupid and get hurt."
Team USA Olympian Jade Carey will replace Biles in the individual all-around final. Biles will be evaluated daily to determine if she will participate in the event finals next week.
