To be the greatest is to have power. Simone Biles wandled hers with wisdom and grace on Tuesday.When she withdrew from artistic gymnastics women’s team final to take care of her mental health, the gold medalist and record-breaker demonstrated how the GOAT should behave. Her teammates gave the world a lesson in how to support a colleague in distress, even if their illness is not visible.Biles cheered as Team USA won silver. She explained to her team that she was leaving, and they were a bit scared. But she encouraged them to kick some butt like in training. She told Hoda Kotb from Today, "Just lay it on the ground." Sunisa Lee, a bar wizard, responded by a rallying cry: “We can go out and show the world that we came here to accomplish." Lee, then 18, later stated that the competition was the most stressful time in her life.Simone Biles cheers for her teammates at Ariake Gymnastics Centre, Tokyo Olympics 2021. Credit: Iris van den Broek / Getty ImagesLee and the other, including Jordan Chiles who stepped in on short notice for Biles, won the challenge ahead. Biles hollered and clapped and gave chalk to her teammates' hands to improve their grip. The GOAT is about delivering the gold and also boosting your team's morale, even if it doesn't win.Biles was carrying the burden of expectation even before the Olympics started. In Rio Olympics 2016, she stunned the world. She has been an internet star ever since, speaking out publicly about her experience with sexual assault and supporting Black Lives Matter. She refused to be a slave to those who placed her on an untouchable pedestal in order for the benefit of her team. She told reporters that if she continued, she would have hurt herself and Team USA's chances at medaling. It was selfless of her to take charge of her self-care."I must let my pride go. It is for the team.It's like fighting all the demons and getting out here. My pride must be forgotten. According to Reuters, Biles stated that he had to do it for his team after the competition.She said, "It's just sucky when you are fighting for your head." It's tempting to do it yourself, but you are too concerned about what others will think. Biles has been fighting online trolls for years.Biles stated in a press conference that she was inspired to speak by Naomi Osaka. Osaka is a champion tennis player and refused to talk to the press at the French Open in Mai due to mental health concerns. Osaka would then go on to carry the Olympic torch and participate in the Games. Osaka had made a crucial point in an essay published in Time. He said that people shouldn't be shamed for taking a mental break.Biles' teammates did not, even though some social media users wrongly criticised her decision."You will always be loved. Chiles (20) commented on an Instagram photo by Biles, expressing her gratitude for her team and how proud she was. Chiles acknowledged that Biles was an inspiration.Biles was also supported by celebrities and gymnasts later Tuesday. Biles' Rio competitor Aly Raisman told CNN that gymnastics can be difficult, even though Biles makes it seem easy.Raisman stated, "Even the most elite athletes of all times, they're imperfect, and they are human too."Kerri Strug, the famous vaulter who competed in the 1996 Atlanta Olympics despite a ankle injury, sent Biles encouraging words via Twitter. She was paired with a goat emoticon.After Osaka shared more about her mental health journey, Mashable learned that mental health professionals said that it is perfectly acceptable to share kind words on social media with someone who is taking a mental break.Biles stated that there were many factors which led to her decision at a press conference."It's been very stressful this Olympic Games. It's a complex task that I believe can be done as a whole without an audience. There are many variables involved. It has been a very long week. It has been a long Olympic process. She said that it's been a long, difficult year. "I think we are a bit too stressed, but we should be having fun. Sometimes that is not the case."Last year, the Tokyo Olympics were delayed due to the coronavirus epidemic. However, the Tokyo Olympics went ahead this month because the world was continuing to fight the deadly virus. While the majority of Japanese citizens did not want the Olympics to be held, the government and Olympic officials continued. The country declared an emergency in response to the COVID surge that occurred in July. Consequently, spectators were barred from the Olympic Games.Biles, the only victim of Larry Nassar's assault, was the only person who came out to compete in Tokyo amidst the COVID cloud. The judge sentenced Biles, a former USA Gymnastics national team physician, to 175 years imprisonment on criminal sexual conduct charges and federal child pornography offenses. Biles, along with other gymnasts, has spoken out about his abuse. Biles made the disclosure in a tweet just before Nassar was sentenced. He also included #MeToo.Biles said that she felt depressed after speaking about her trauma. Biles was once a happy, giggly and energetic girl. She felt depressed. She sought therapy and became a champion for mental health treatment.She was clear to state that she would not be representing USA Gymnastics in Tokyo. She told the New York Times that she would be representing the country, and women of color, instead.She told the newspaper that she was going to represent the USA, World Champions Centre and Black and Brown girls around the world. She told reporters that she was withdrawing from the event because she wants to be more focused on her health and that there is more to life than gymnastics.Biles took the decision to leave her team for mental health reasons and not her coaches. Biles was using her power for the team's good, her own mental health, and perhaps for those who aren't strong enough to prioritize their mental well-being. You can show strength from the sidelines as well as the vault or bars. Osaka was her inspiration. Biles might be an inspiration for someone else, as Osaka inspired Black girls to take part in a historically white sport.Biles can compete in two additional events if she is able to do so later this week. She has won, regardless of whether she wins.So has Team USA.UPDATE: July 27, 2021 at 4:37 PM PDT. This post has been updated with comments from Olympians Aly Rasman and Kerri Stru.
