Last update on. From the section Gymnastics
Simone Biles cheered for her teammates in Tokyo after she pulled out of five of six finals
After withdrawing from five of six Japanese finals, Simone Biles, a four-time Olympic champion, said she should have "quit way before Tokyo".
The 24-year-old said in an interview with New York Magazine that he should not have been on another Olympic team after going through "everything" over the past seven years.
Biles talked in 2018 about being abused and beaten by Larry Nassar, a team doctor who is currently serving a life sentence.
The American states, "It was too much."
"But I wasn't going to let him have something that I worked for since I was six years of age.
I was not going to allow him to take that joy from me. I continued to push past this until my mind and body allowed me.
Biles was predicted to win more Tokyo 2020 golds but she pulled out of the five finals because she needed to concentrate on her mental health.
Later, she explained that she suffered from the "twisties", a dangerous mental block that causes gymnasts to lose their orientation in the air. She continued on to the balance beam competition where she was awarded bronze.
Biles had been seeing an therapist prior to the Games. Biles says she felt anxious when she arrived in Tokyo due to coronavirus restrictions that prevented fans and their families from attending.
She says, "Leading up for it, I became more and more anxious." "I wasn't as confident as I should have felt with all the training we received."
The 19-time world champion described trying to compete against the "twisties" as "basically death or life", and added that it was "a miracle I landed on mine feet after it set in midvault."
Simone Biles, along with other members from the United States' team of gymnastics, is currently on tour in America
Biles also spoke out about the extra pressure she felt because of her race.
She says, "As Black women, we just need to be more."
"Because even though we break records and stuff they almost dim it down as if that's just normal."
Biles had earlier testified before Senate committee to discuss shortcomings in FBI's Nassar investigation.
Now, she is back in therapy. She is currently touring America with other gymnasts from the United States. However, she is not sure if they will allow her to compete again.
Biles states, "This will likely be something that I work through for twenty years."
"It doesn't matter how many times I try to forget. It's still a work-in-progress.
