Outspoken gymnastics champion Biles received praise: ‘Mental health is more important than sports’ | the Olympics
VideoUSA gymnastics champion Simone Biles (24) withdrew from the team final at the Tokyo Olympics on Tuesday not due to injury, but rather due to mental issues. After that she gave a text and explained. “We should have fun, but that’s not the case now.”
The four-time Olympic gold medalist in 2016 started jumping and seemed to injure herself. She left the hall and came back with duct tape. The American Gymnastics Association said Biles is unable to play due to a medical problem. “Its status is now being reviewed on a daily basis,” the union said. Biles himself said it was about “mental issues”.
She later gave a detailed explanation at a press conference. I started ‘I’ve never experienced anything like this before. These games are so stressful. It’s been so many weeks anyway, long process, long year. The warm-up was still going well, but then I was shivering and shivering. When I got out, I already felt: No, the mental part is not okay† That’s why I had to leave it up to the other girls. It was better to back off.”
In the United States (and indeed throughout the sports world) there is much praise for Biles’ decision and frankness. Will I take action later? We’ll have to wait and see.” She also brought an important message. “We have to protect body and mind, because in the end mental health is more important than sports.”
gold for russia
Bills qualified for all gymnastics finals. But without her, the United States could not win a gold medal. The Russian gymnastics team took advantage of her absence. Vladislava Orazova, Victoria Listonova, Angelina Melnikova and reserve Lilia Achimova scored 169,528 points after the four parts, which is good for her first women’s Olympic title in 29 years. American gymnasts, victors in 2012 and 2016, only got 166,096. Bronze went to Great Britain. The Netherlands did not reach the final.
Watch here a short response from Biles, in which she expresses her pride in her teammates:
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