Simone Biles pulled out of the women’s gymnastic team final at the Tokyo Olympics on Tuesday.
Biles competed in Team USA’s first rotation on vault when she appeared to slip and land awkwardly on her knees. She was then expected to compete on uneven bars in the second rotation, but Jordan Chiles was subbed in. Biles left the floor before returning to the arena in warmup gear to hug her teammates. She watched the remainder of the competition from the sideline, according to NBC Sports.
There was some speculation that Biles may have suffered an injury, but one of her coaches told the NBC broadcast that Biles withdrew for mental health reasons.
Simone Biles back in warmup gear, cheering on her teammates after she told them she pulled out of the team competition final.
“It is not injury related” and apparently her coach said “it’s a mental issue that Simone is having,” per NBC commentators just now. #TokyoOlympics pic.twitter.com/WdBgVBnF5m
— Monica Alba (@albamonica) July 27, 2021
USA Gymnastics said in a statement that Biles withdrew due to a “medical issue” and will be evaluated on a daily basis.
“Simone Biles has withdrawn from the team final competition due to a medical issue,” the statement read. “She will be assessed daily to determine medical clearance for future competitions.”
Biles struggled a bit during the preliminary rounds despite being a heavy favorite at the Olympics. She indicated in an Instagram post that she was having a tough time with the pressure in Tokyo.
“It wasn’t an easy day or my best but I got through it. I truly do feel like I have the weight of the world on my shoulders at times,” Biles wrote on Monday. “I know I brush it off and make it seem like pressure doesn’t affect me but damn sometimes it’s hard hahaha! The olympics is no joke! BUT I’m happy my family was able to be with me virtually they mean the world to me!”
It’s unclear if Biles will compete in any events going forward.
Biles, 24, is the most decorated American gymnast by a wide margin. She has 30 total medals in competition, including her four gold medals and one bronze medal from the Rio Olympics in 2016. She’s such a well-known star that she even got her own emoji ahead of the Olympics.
