Decorated gymnast Simone Biles has revealed her mental struggles during the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, where she withdrew from the team final after experiencing the “twisties.” In an episode of the “Call Her Daddy” podcast, Biles expressed that she thought the world would hate her for her decision to step back from competing. The “twisties” are described as a disconnect between a gymnast’s mind and body, making it difficult to execute moves.
When Biles realized she had the “twisties,” she felt as though she would be heavily criticized by her home country, the United States. She described feeling like America hated her and feared that she would be banned from returning if she did not win gold. Despite these fears, Biles ultimately made the difficult decision to step back from competition, paving the way for her replacement, Jordan Chiles, in the team event in which the U.S. won silver.
Since then, Biles has returned to excellence in gymnastics. In October, she won her 33rd medal at the world championships and Olympics, tying Vitaly Scherbo for the most by any gymnast. Looking ahead, Biles is setting her sights on the 2024 Paris Olympics, where she will continue to strive for greatness in the sport.