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Simone Biles has backed out of the women’s individual all-around gymnastics final at the Toyko Olympics, a day after she withdrew from the team final citing mental health concerns.
Biles, America’s most decorated gymnast, bowed out of the team final on Tuesday after struggling early on the vault. At a press conference she said she didn’t feel she was in the right headspace.
On Wednesday USA Gymnastics announced that Biles had also withdrawn from the individual all-around competition “in order to focus on her mental health.” Biles won gold at the event during the 2016 Olympics.
“We wholeheartedly support Simone’s decision and applaud her bravery in prioritizing her well-being,” USA Gymnastics said in a statement. “Her courage shows, yet again, why she is a role model for so many.”
Then, in the buildup to the event on Tuesday, she didn’t feel right, she told reporters. “I was just, like, shaking, could barely nap,” Biles said. “I just never felt like this going into a competition before, and I tried to go out here and have fun.”
After she pulled out, Biles cheered on her teammates from the sidelines as they won the silver medal. She said she withdrew in part because she “didn’t want to risk the team a medal for my screwups because they’ve worked way too hard for that.”
Biles “will continue to be evaluated daily,” USA Gymnastics said, to see whether she can compete in individual events next week.
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