Simone Biles Revealed Her Harsh Tokyo Olympics Experience, She Was Afraid Of Dying During Game
The famous gymnast Simone Biles had to make the tough choice to withdraw from the gymnastics team finals at the Tokyo Olympics in 2020 because she was having the “twisties,” which can be a disorienting experience for gymnasts. It is stated in Gotham Chopra’s recently published book, “Religion of Sports,” that Biles turned to her mother Nellie for consolation during this trying time.
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The book claims that every time Biles executed a vault with two and a half twists, she would feel as though she would not make it. Due to her concern, she decided not to compete, telling her teammates, “I don’t want to do something stupid.”
Biles phoned her mother in need of comfort and direction, and her mother gave her the much-needed boost. “You don’t need to go out there and hurt yourself,” Nellie reassured her daughter, stressing the value of putting her health first. That is simply incorrect.
Simone Biles feared she’d NEVER compete again after dealing with ‘the twisties’ at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics… but seven-time Olympic gold medal winner loves life back on the big stage: WhatsNew2Day – Latest News And… https://t.co/OvYoHp8t9W #News #Anothersports #Belgium #Big
— WhatsNew2Day (@whatsn2day) December 9, 2023
Nellie continued to encourage Biles throughout their private moment, asking her to take care of herself and reminding her that they were all praying for her. In the book, it is also described how Nellie told the other members of Biles’s family and circle of friends about her decision to pull out of the competition, stressing that Biles had prioritized her physical and emotional well.
After making her choice, Biles withstood criticism.
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For her choice, Biles received mixed reviews; some praised her for making mental health a priority, while others denounced her as weak. The book describes Biles’s dissatisfaction as she tried to explain to her family why she made the decision she did and how people didn’t get it.
#SimoneBiles Opens Up About Growing Up in Foster Care & Her Biological Mother's Struggle With Addiction #celebrity #celebritygossip #celebrities #celebritynews https://t.co/ziklREC9y9
— Celebrity Fanpage HKI (@celebrityhki) December 17, 2023
She made it clear that her decision was to avoid possible harm rather than to forfeit gold, saying, “If I would’ve continued, I probably would have gotten injured. They wouldn’t have been able to replace [my scores].”
REVEALED: Simone Biles' emotional phone call to her mom before shock Tokyo Olympics withdrawal as gymnastics legend 'felt like she might die' every time she performed trick, according to newly-released book https://t.co/TEnY0QKcFg pic.twitter.com/dmQpynIsdk
— Daily Mail Online (@MailOnline) December 20, 2023
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The book illuminates the nuances of elite athletic competition and offers a moving look into the emotional upheaval Simone Biles went through throughout this trying period. It highlights the steadfast support of her family as well as the inner battle she went through to decide to put her well-being first.
