Simone Biles Will Make Olympic Return to Compete in Beam Final After Mental Health Concerns
Photo by Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images
USA Gymnastics confirmed Simone Biles will compete in Tuesday’s balance beam final at the Olympic Games. It will be Biles first Olympic competition since withdrawing from team finals to focus on her mental health.
We are so excited to confirm that you will see two U.S. athletes in the balance beam final tomorrow – Suni Lee AND Simone Biles!! Can’t wait to watch you both!
— USA Gymnastics (@USAGym) August 2, 2021
Biles pulled out of the Team Gymnastics event last Tuesday after slipping during her vault attempt. While attempting to perform an Amanar, one of the most difficult vaults, Biles missed one full twist and dropped out of the air. The four-time Olympic gold medalist later said she was experiencing the “twisties,” which can cause a gymnast to become disoriented in the air, leading to dangerous landings.
“Honestly petrifying trying to do a skill but not having your mind & body in sync. 10/10 do not recommend,” Biles posted on Instagram last Friday. “I don’t think you realize how dangerous this is on hard/competition surface,” she added. “Sometimes I can’t even fathom twisting. I seriously cannot comprehend how to twist.”
Attempting to put the twisties and mental health concerns behind her, Biles plans to make her Olympic return Tuesday. The 24-year-old superstar gymnast won bronze on the beam in 2016 and is a three-time world champion in the event.
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