Simone Biles came into the Tokyo 2020 Summer Games as one of Team USA’s biggest medal contenders now, after an error on vault and what medics on the team are dubbing a ‘medical issue’, Biles is now in doubt for the individual competition which starts on Thursday.
The 24-year-old Columbus, Ohio native made a mistake during the vault competition, which resulted in a lower score of 13.766. Biles performed a vault with only one-and-a-half twists, which she was supposed to land at two-and-a-half twists. Biles knees also buckled on the landing and almost fell.
Simone Biles later left the stadium with her trainer and a member of the team’s medical staff, rumors of an injury began to surface, but when Biles returned to the floor it was announced by the team that she had withdrawn from the team finals competition leaving Team USA with only three athletes to compete. The medical staff announced that Biles suffered a ‘mental issue’ and as a result the heavily favored U.S. Women’s gymnastics team had to settle for the silver medal. Now Biles chances to compete in the individual competition is in doubt.
Simone Biles in doubt for individual competition in Summer Olympics
Sunisa Lee, Simone Biles, coach Cecile Landi, and Jordan Chiles of Team United States react during the Women’s Team Final on day four of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games (Getty)
With Simone Biles forced out of the team competition, all the focus is now on whether the star gymnast will compete in Thursday’s individual competition where she was a heavy favorite to win various gold medals.
According to the Team USA staff, “She (Biles) will be assessed daily to determine medical clearance for future competitions.” Biles has qualified for all five individual event finals – the all-around, floor exercise, beam, vault, and uneven bars.
On her Instagram account on Sunday, Biles had mentioned that she was feeling the pressure of the upcoming competitions posting, “I truly do feel like I have the weight of the world on my shoulders at times… I know I brush it off and make it seem like pressure doesn’t affect me but damn sometimes it’s hard…the Olympics is no joke!”
Jordan Chiles, Simone Biles, and Grace McCallum of Team United States walk to the podium after winning the silver medal during the Women’s Team Final (Getty)
Prior to the start of the Olympic games Biles admitted to having depression after it was revealed she was sexually abused by former Olympic team doctor Larry Nassar, who was charged and convicted and is serving life imprisonment.
