Olympic champ Biles withdraws from all-around competition

Demons came and won. Her own words.

She is the GOAT!

Can she coach? Step in that roll.

Biles is one of the biggest draws of the entire games.

Wonder if the US broadcasting companies will demand some of their money back.

She could have decided this before the olympics and given a chance to someone else.

On the one hand championship temperament and mental strength is a special characteristic of elite athletes. That temperament can be instilled with the idea there is nothing else in life, but talent, training, discipline and single minded focus of the sport.

As Biles got older, she likely realized that life to the top included being obedient and doing what was coached into her, without thinking of anything else. This sheltering happened often in the past, where athletes, particularly of repetitive sports and are young, are told by strict coaches they must not stray from the course.

She has likely matured to a person who could no longer look at gymnastics without questioning it, and her own critical thought led her to ask herself more and more about life beyond competition. And with that, she's a much more aware and interesting person, but she is no longer completely focused on the sport.

She started thinking, instead of automatically doing. When one does anything and they're negatively thinking about accomplishing the task at hand, one can psyche oneself out.

I don't know if this a mental health issue, it seems a natural progression of life, and in a sport where young girls are the main competitors, there has been a lot of manipulation and control...maybe a brainwashing...of what they need to do to be successful. It was automatic, but for Biles, it became manually powered and it can't be in something so mentally dictated as gymnastics, where neck bones are in serious danger.

Imagine being a 7 year old and you see an Olympic dream and coaching is geared toward turning you into an Olympic champion. A 7 year old has no experience to be able to critical think, and just listens and executes what's being said. Coaches don't want any outside thoughts creep into their athletes that might affect their concentration.

Biles is locked into the champion she is while knowing she needs to move on, before the Olympics. The allure of being in the spotlight again is too big a temptation for many great athletes who want that glory. It's got to be intoxicating to be so good at something.

She wanted it. She thought something would click positively to allow her to get back to that unconscious bliss of perfection. Just do, don't think. But she went the other way and was conscious while flipping through the air, and she knew that that's dangerous and that was it. She's done. More than not allowing her teammates to medal, she could severely hurt herself, and it was a good decision for her to quit.

There's nothing she needs to apologize for, because her intent was to do what she was trained to do, and figured out mid air, she was no longer in the right space to do it. She may return for some individual events, or I think maybe not, but either way, it's OK, and it's gotta be really hard on her.

@TokyoJoe

I think it’s a combination of factors. Obsessions with safety and social media presence seem to be the most prominent.

@reckless. I think the only comparison to the pressure Simone Biles was feeling from the media and her country was that of Naomi Osaka from Japan. See how that worked out

@sunfunbun

That’s a big assumption you’re making. But just assuming it’s true, she could equally have thought that this is something hat she started and therefore something she should finish, at least for her teammates. As I wrote above, it’s an odd time to call it quits, especially because there are literally dozens of people who would give their left arm to be in her shoes. Rather than gaining perspective, it sounds like she has lost it.

She is 24, I wish I could have withdrawn many things at 24, my first marriage for a start. She has her own path and nobody absolutely nobody can/should doubt her decisions. It’s not your life, not your decision. It’s hers. And she has pressure well beyond I had most people have at 24. Good for her. In ten years won’t remember anyway.

The GOAT never quits.

"After the performance I did, I just didn't want to go on," she said. "I have to focus on my mental health. I just think mental health is more prevalent in sports right now.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/simone-biles-instagram-olympics-tokyo-exit-shock-155017023.html

Yeah, sorry Simone, but we have seen athletes who are the best in the world at what they do grind teeth and go on finish what they started. Could have taken loss. But quitting? Sorry, unacceptable.

USA sent you there believing your the best in the country. You let us down yes. Captain!

Very disappointing. Truth hurts.

@TokyoJoe, I certainly don't see that with the Japanese female athletes. They look quite amazing under the stress, and still appear cheerful, respectful and a good role model. The male athletes as well.

Well is Osaka included within your 'japanese' athletes?. She admitted that pressure threw her game off. I agree the Japanese competitors do show a mental strength that seems to be lacking in some of the foreign athletes.

You get chosen to represent your nation and then give up. It's not the Olympic spirit is it?

Biles made a mess in the all-around qualifying - yet she still finished first anyway (that's how good she is, and how high scoring difficulty her routines are). She could've likely done the same in the finals and still win.

Though she'd be embarrassed to win that way, with messy routines. That's probably why she's withdrawing - if her mind is not in the right place, her routines would be messy, and that would embarrass her - even if she ends up winning.

This is an individual event, so she's not hurting her teammates on this one

(may even give her teammates more chance to win a medal, instead of finishing 4th and out of the podium)

May the best remaining Americans win a medal for their own

She could have decided this before the olympics and given a chance to someone else.

That someone else would have placed lower than the lowest American in the team, so most likely wouldn't have made it to the individual finals anyway (each country is only allowed to send their Top 2)

Although at least it would've been a good Olympic experience for that girl, so there you have a point

"Well is Osaka included within your 'japanese' athletes?"

No.

Though she'd be embarrassed to win that way, with messy routines.

That's the thing. Even with an undisciplined routine, Biles may well have done enough to carry the team all the way up the podium to gold.

The team - maybe not. The US team finished 2nd in qualifying, after Biles made a mess of her routines. Even her mess couldn't make up to push the team to the top (although again, she herself finished first anyway)

So ya could say the team finished where they should be if Biles messes up - which is 2nd (silver)

But now it's individuals, so her withdrawing now gives her other teammate Carey (the 3rd-placed American) the chance to win a medal. So she's helping her teammate this time, albeit in exchange for lessening the odds for their country to win a gold here (they may still win it, but the odds are lower)

No no no, not another one with mental health issues!!!! They are popping up like mushrooms nowadays!

Good bye Simon

There's still the individual apparatus events next week (in which she qualified for all 4)

The GOAT never quits.

Gotta take a look at 2 GOATs: Michael Phelps and Usain Bolt. Michael Phelps still went out and competed for a silver though he had slowed down a bit in 2016. Usain Bolt still ran in the 2017 World Championships though he got 2nd in the individual race. He still went out in the relay and tore his hamstring. MJ played with the flu and Kobe played several times with a broken finger, torn ligament, achilles and back spasms.

Gotta take a look at 2 GOATs: Michael Phelps and Usain Bolt. Michael Phelps still went out and competed for a silver though he had slowed down a bit in 2016. Usain Bolt still ran in the 2017 World Championships though he got 2nd in the individual race. He still went out in the relay and tore his hamstring. MJ played with the flu and Kobe played several times with a broken finger, torn ligament, achilles and back spasms.

Different generation, worlds apart from the youngsters coming through now.

Perhaps she has tennis qualifications?

Even though Biles still won the individual all-around qualifying with messy routines, let's ask this question:

If the US team wants to win gold or more medals in the individual all-around, it can be argued that Carey (the 3rd-ranked American) would be preferable than even Biles if her mind is not in the right place. There's a chance that an out-of-sorts Biles may do worse than her qualifying scores

So, if you're the US team, who would you prefer? Would you still want Biles to compete over Carey, knowing that Biles' mind is not in the right place?

Seriously think about it. Who do you think would give the US the better chance of a medal?

So if you don't think an out-of-sorts Biles could medal, then why would you want to keep her in the event? Instead of giving another American the chance? Remember, you can only bring 2 Americans (Sunisa Lee already has 1 of the 2 spots). So keeping an out-of-sorts Biles will cost you the other spot, instead of someone else who's ready

This is an individual event, not a team event. Think about it

I understand mental health issues but this is the Olympics, it's not suppose to be easy. The weight of the world is not on your shoulders because you are competing against the rest of the world who wants to win over you.

I don't mind her pulling out of the individual comp. but pulling out at the last second from the team comp. was a punk move against her teammates.

Some of them will never see a Gold medal hanging from their neck because of this.

Should've never put yourself on this team if you were going to pull out because you weren't "having fun".

The best of her generation but why come to Tokyo to quit? Just robs an upcoming gymnast the chance to compete. A little selfish?

If she has health issues (mental or physical) that prevent her from achieving her best she shouldn’t have taken a place from someone else. Grit and perseverance used to be regarded as admirable qualities in sportsmen, lauded even if they didn’t win. Wimping out without trying is simply pathetic.

Good for her. Asking oneself "Is this really worth doing?" is a good thing. She might change her decision later but she stopped going forward mindlessly and decided to think it over. I am for her. It's her life.

i didnt realize that she actually has 4 more events she could possibly still join next week.

so the drama isnt over yet.

"Simone will continue to be evaluated daily to determine whether or not to participate in next week's individual event finals.....

"We wholeheartedly support Simone's decision and applaud her bravery in prioritizing her well-being. Her courage shows, yet again, why she is a role model for so many."

BlacklabelToday  08:02 pm JST

i didnt realize that she actually has 4 more events she could possibly still join next week. 

so the drama isnt over yet.

I want to support the athletes from my country, but this kind of behavior makes me glad I have not watched any of the Olympics, other than the Switzerland-Japan women's beach volleyball. Who won btw?

The far-left is looking at the bright side of this act though --Well, she tried her best. Silver isn't so bad. Let's give everyone a trophy just for participating.

I am predicting the gushing from the dems favorite news networks about the 'heroics' of Simone Biles whether or not she enters the remaining events.

Sunisa Lee is my new US women's gymnast fave.

I don't mind her pulling out of the individual comp. but pulling out at the last second from the team comp. was a punk move against her teammates.

Some of them will never see a Gold medal hanging from their neck because of this.

There's no guarantee the US team would've won gold with Biles not in the right state of mind

(after all, they were just 2nd in qualifying when Biles was having the same issue)

They may still not see gold the way Biles was feeling even if she continued participating

(there's a good chance Biles' scores would've been the lowest scores that would've been dropped anyway - meaning the US total score would be the same as it was)

Then why did she come in the first place? Wasted thousands of dollars in US taxpayer money. How pathetic and what a cop out excuse!

Mr Kipling

The best of her generation but why come to Tokyo to quit? Just robs an upcoming gymnast the chance to compete. A little selfish?

Being selfish is good. She is not a slave. She was one of many victims who was sexually abused by Larry Nassar, a former doctor for USA Gymnastics. She shall not live to please others unless doing so also makes her happy.

I used to do weddings in Japan.

For over 10 years not a bother.

Then one weekend I started to get an unknown stress about it, was throwing up in the shower , nearly fainted a few times by over thinking.

The was no logical reason for it but it was messing me up big time.

I realized I needed to "quit"

I feel poor Ms. Biles just hit that wall.

She is brave to realize that walking away is best.

And anyone saying she is weak.

She's been training non stop for how many years?

What exactly have you guys achieved on a par with her level.

Time to stand down, stand back

Bottom line is ... You enter the event taking the place other would die for. Its yours, you qualified in front of then. But you then have the responsibility to give it your all. Quitting is not an option, If you are injured, you get a pass, but "I just don't want to play" is an insult to those below you. You can be sure her so called team mates won't be happy with her. Her once legendary status will be tarnished at least.