US gymnast Simone Biles cites mental health issues for withdrawal
Gymnastics superstar Simone Biles said "mental health" concerns had led to her withdrawal from the women's team final at the Tokyo Olympics yesterday.
"I have to do what's right for me and focus on my mental health and not jeopardise my health and my well-being," the 24-year-old American said after her team were beaten by the Russian quartet in her absence.
Biles, who had made uncharacteristic mistakes during Sunday's preliminaries, exited the final at the Ariake Gymnastics Centre, after a lacklustre opening vault and walked off the competition floor before returning a short time later.
The US team immediately withdrew her from the rest of the final and replaced her in the three concluding routines on the uneven bars, beam and floor.
After she joined her teammates to collect their silver medals, the four-time Olympic champion confirmed she had not been injured.
She said: "I just don't trust myself as much as I used to, and I don't know if it's age. I'm a little bit more nervous when I do gymnastics.
"I feel like I'm also not having as much fun, and I know that these Olympic Games, I wanted it to be for myself," she said, as she began to cry.
"It just sucks that it happens here at the Olympics Games... with the year that it's been, I'm really not surprised the way it played out."
The big question on everyone's mind was whether she would get the chance to add to her collection in tomorrow's all-around final and the four apparatus finals to come. - AFP
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