Simone Biles proved, once again, that she is the greatest gymnast of all-time at the Olympics in Paris. However, the 27-year-old was not without her demons.
The entire gauntlet of the Games was a battle against herself in more ways than one!
First and foremost, on the most basic level, Biles suffered a calf injury during the first event of the week. Rather, before the first event of the week. She was able to power through the team competition after an initial scare but was dealing with a noticeable limp throughout the rest of the day. It continued to bother her during the individual all-around, as well as beam, floor, and vault— whether she would admit it or not.
On a deeper level, Biles was in her head. The “twisties” forced the American superstar to withdraw from the Olympics in Tokyo. In essence, a mental block prevented her from completing her stunts and made her feel lost while in the air. Many gymnasts are not able to overcome the twisties and have to retire.
Biles fought back but it wasn’t easy.
There was a lot of outside pressure on the G.O.A.T. to get back in the gym for Paris. She didn’t listen.
It was Biles’ decision, and only Biles’ decision, to return to gymnastics. Nobody made her do it. Only the uninformed haters would’ve been outraged if she did not compete in France — and they don’t matter.
Biles told CNN Sport’s Coy Wire that the legendary comeback tour was internally motivated.
It was important to me because nobody forced me to be out there on that stage. I solely did it for myself and I’m in a really good spot mentally and physically. So doing this for just me meant the world.
— Simone Biles
Although Biles returned to the Olympics and left Paris with three gold medals and a silver, there is a mental block that she has to overcome every time she walks into the gym. The twisties continue to sit in the back of her mind. The doubt is not something that just magically goes away.
Biles has to work even harder than she did before to overcome the additional inhibition.
I dealt with them in therapy. Obviously, you always have those thoughts coming into the back of your head, but just trying to stay as positive as possible, going back to what I know, thinking about my therapy tactics – and it worked.
— Simone Biles
Physical and mental exhaustion is very real. Even for the greatest gymnast in history.
Biles admitted in a video filmed on Sunday — before the vault and floor finals on Monday — that she was “really tired” and “felt like her body was slowing starting to shut down” as if “it’s ready to be done.”
Her husband, Jonathan Owens, echoed that sentiment. He is extremely proud of Biles (and Brazilian Rebeca Andrade) for powering through 17 different routines over the course of eight days.
That really puts it in perspective! Biles pushed herself to the extreme for no one but herself and it paid off in a big way on the biggest stage.
The 27-year-old said that she will not close the book on a possible return for Los Angeles in 2028 but these recent admissions of mental and physical exhaustion would indicate that this summer was the end. If that is the case, it has been an incredible career. Simone Biles is (probably) going out on top!