By Daily sports on July 28, 2021

American gymnast Simone Biles was praised for prioritising “mental wellness over all else” after pulling out of the Olympic women’s team final.

The head of the US Olympic team, many gymnasts, and other sportspeople were among those to praise Biles’ decision.

The 24-year-old withdrew from the event after her vault, saying: “I have to focus on my mental health.”

“You’ve made us so proud,” said Sarah Hirshland, chief executive of the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee.

“We applaud your decision to prioritise your mental wellness over all else and offer you the full support and resources of our Team USA community as you navigate the journey ahead.”

The US were favourites for gold after winning five successive world titles – in 2011, 2014, 2015, 2018 and 2019 – in addition to back-to-back Olympic gold medals in London and Rio.

After scoring 13.766 – her lowest Olympic vault score – Biles left the arena, but returned to support her team-mates as they took silver behind the Russian Olympic Committee, with Great Britain claiming bronze.

Biles is a 30-time Olympic and World Championship medallist, and needs four podium finishes in Tokyo to become the most decorated gymnast – male or female – in history.

She is widely referred to as the ‘GOAT’ (Greatest Of All Time).

Jamaica gymnast Danusia Francis said: “Don’t know about you but I think Simone Biles just empowered everyone to put their mental wellbeing above everything else. What a queen. GOAT in more ways than one.”

Former Great Britain gymnast Beth Tweddle, a bronze medallist in 2012, said on BBC One: “Since 2013 she's been undefeated in the all-around so every competition she goes in, everyone expects her to be perfection, and it’s just not possible.

“She was strong enough to say: ‘I’m just not right today and I’ve got the belief in the rest of the girls. They know they can step up, that they can do their routines.’

“And she went back in, she was their chief cheerleader, and she was getting the chalk for them. That shows how much of a leader she is, to be able to make that decision.

“We have got to make sure that the health and wellbeing of every athlete is the main priority.”

France gymnast Melanie de Jesus dos Santos said: “We are not used to seeing Simone Biles like this. I would like to say that it is not easy because she is Simone Biles and everyone is watching her. It’s so difficult psychologically for her.”

Japan gymnast Mai Murakami added: “This is very unusual for her, but if you’re under a lot of pressure it can affect your body.”

Second place brought Biles her sixth Olympic medal, and she also won 19 world titles between 2013 and 2019.

She has reached all five individual finals in Tokyo and is undecided on whether she will compete in her next event on Thursday, when she will attempt to become the first woman to retain the Olympic all-around title since 1968.

“We’re going to see,” she said. “We’re going to take it a day at a time and see what happens.”

Jordan Chiles, 20, replaced Biles in the women’s team final, and said: “That was a huge thing. Those were definitely some big shoes that I had to fill and I’m very happy that I was able to do that.

“Yes, she is the GOAT. I was able to show the world that not only can you fill amazing people’s shoes but we also did this together as well.”

Team-mate Sunisa Lee, 18, added: “We were all so stressed. We honestly didn’t know in that moment. She’s freaking Simone Biles. She carries the team basically.

“When we kind of had to step up to the plate and do what we had to do, it was very hard and stressful. But I’m very proud of us because we did that.” (BBC)

•PHOTO: Legendary gymnast Simone Biles

Source Daily sports

Posted July 28, 2021

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