Aly Raisman knows better than most the pressure that Simone Biles is under at the Olympics, and shared her thoughts after Biles withdrew from the women’s team gymnastics final on Tuesday.
Raisman, the former American gold medal gymnast, spoke to “Today” shortly after Biles’ withdrawal from the team final and said she felt “sick to my stomach” over Biles’ inability to compete. She said she was concerned about the mental impact the event had on Biles and urged those watching to remember how much pressure she was facing.
“I also am just thinking about the mental impact that this has to have on Simone,” Raisman said. “It’s just so much pressure and I’ve been watching how much pressure has been on her in the months leading up to the games and it’s just devastating. I feel horrible.
“I think that Simone is the biggest story going into the Olympics, so this is just really, really devastating. But I think it’s also just really important to think about how much pressure has been on her, and there’s only so much that someone can take. She’s human, and I think sometimes people forget that. And Simone, just like everyone else, is doing the best that she can.”
After struggling on the vault, Biles withdrew from the remainder of the team final, with her American teammates ultimately winning a silver medal. Biles told reporters after the event that she was mentally unprepared to continue and did not trust herself to avoid a significant injury.
