Olympics 2021: Simone Biles withdraws from floor exercise final – CNET [CNET]
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Simone Biles has pulled out of Monday’s gymnastics floor exercises finals, an event for which she won Gold at 2016’s Rio Olympics. The only remaining event on Biles Olympic schedule is Tuesday’s balance beam finals.
Considered the greatest gymnast of all time, Biles surprised the world last week when she withdrew out of the women’s gymnastics team all-around final, citing mental health concerns. She followed it up by pulling out of the Individual all-around finals, and then the vault and uneven bars finals too.
In the wake of her first withdrawal last Tuesday, Biles said she wasn’t in the right mental state to compete. “I just felt like it would be a little bit better to take a backseat, work on my mindfulness and I knew that the girls would do an absolutely great job and I didn’t want to risk the team a medal,” Biles said at a press conference.
“After further medical evaluation, Simone Biles has withdrawn from the final individual all-around competition,” read a statement from USA Gymnastics following her removal from the individual all-arounds finals.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.”
Simone has withdrawn from the event final for floor and will make a decision on beam later this week. Either way, we’re all behind you, Simone.
— USA Gymnastics (@USAGym) August 1, 2021
the outpouring love & support I’ve received has made me realize I’m more than my accomplishments and gymnastics which I never truly believed before. 🤍
— Simone Biles (@Simone_Biles) July 29, 2021
After further medical evaluation, Simone Biles has withdrawn from the final individual all-around competition. 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. pic.twitter.com/6ILdtSQF7o
— USA Gymnastics (@USAGym) July 28, 2021
In a subsequent statement on Biles’ withdrawal from the floor exercises finals, USA Gymnastics said Biles will “make a decision on beam later this week.”
Biles entered the Tokyo Olympics with serious momentum. She currently holds more medals than any other gymnastics competitor, with 25 — 19 of which are golds. Biles is one of six women the US sent to the Olympics to compete in gymnastics, alongside Jordan Chiles, Sunisa Lee, Grace McCallum, Jade Carey and MyKayla Skinner.
Simone Biles’ remaining events
Olympic gymnastics comprises four events: vault, uneven bars, balance beam and floor exercise. Following her qualification round, Biles was set to compete in all four. In total, Biles was expected to win up to six gold medals. In Rio’s 2016 Olympics she won four golds — in vault, floor, individual all-around and team all-around — and performed with such distinction that she was chosen as the US flag bearer at the closing ceremonies.
In a move that earned her mass support and praise — amid some criticism — Biles has pulled out of all events except, as of writing, Tuesday’s balance beam final.
Going to bed thinking about @Simone_Biles saying, “We hope America still loves us.”
Goodness.
We more than love you. We adore you. We cherish you. We admire you. We feel for you. We are rooting for you.
Thanks for taking care of yourself. We all need that example.
— Yamiche Alcindor (@Yamiche) July 28, 2021
All my support to @Simone_Biles. Mental health is a key component of our health, and it MUST be a priority always. We need the sports world to focus on emotional and mental well-being a lot more.
Thank you for using your platform, you are a true champion! #MentalHealth pic.twitter.com/4Ym3E9VAEf
— Pau Gasol (@paugasol) July 28, 2021
Withdrawn — Floor exercise final: Aug. 2, 1 a.m. PT/ 4 a.m. ET/9 a.m. UK time/6 p.m. AEST
Balance beam final: Aug. 3, 1 a.m. PT/ 4 a.m. ET/9 a.m. UK time/6 p.m. AEST
In the US, you can watch the Olympics and all of the above events through NBC. NBC’s TV channel will air edited versions of the Games during prime-time hours, but you can watch the events live on Peacock or on NBCOlympics.com. Viewers in the UK will watch through EuroSport, while Australians can see the games through Channel 7 and the 7plus streaming service.
Best gymnast ever
Biles has become a significant force unto herself in recent years: She’s often called the greatest gymnast of all time and, after just one Olympic Games, is considered a top-tier Olympian.
Simone Biles looks ready to go in Tokyo! In 2 days, she will attempt to get the yurchenko double back named after her! 🐐 #SimoneBiles pic.twitter.com/9YWeUBNJoy
— All Things Gymnastics Podcast (@AllThingsGymPod) July 22, 2021
Her accolades go beyond medals, and include being named ESPN’s Most Dominant Athlete of the Year (2018), ESPN’s Woman of the Year (2016) and AP’s Female Athlete of the Year (2019).
CNET’s Sean Keane contributed to this report.