The greatest gymnast in history opened up about her mental health issues in Tokyo – and collected a bronze medal
As Simone Biles entered the Ariake Gymnastics Centre for the women’s team final at the Tokyo Olympics, the eyes of the sporting world slowly fixated on her. She was, to many, the most dominant athlete in the world and the greatest gymnast in history, undefeated in the all-around, team and floor competitions since 2013. She had pushed the boundaries of the sport even further throughout the summer and after winning four gold medals and a bronze in Rio, it was the start of what could have been the final, crowning moment of her career.
Instead, what unfolded that evening was astonishing. On her first event in the team final, the vault, Biles completely lost track of herself in the air as she attempted her 2.5 twisting Yurchenko vault, one of her most trusted skills. After aborting the skill and somehow avoiding injury, Biles disappeared from the competition floor with her national team staff. When Biles eventually returned, she huddled with her teammates, and then she was done.