As the United States gears up for the 2024 Summer Olympics, Americans’ eyes are once again going towards Simone Biles
Biles, widely known as the greatest gymnast of all time, has yet to officially announce her participation in the Olympic games. Despite that fact, she is considered to be one of the favorites going into the summer season. Biles, who has won seven Olympic Medals, left the 2020 Summer Olympics due to mental health concerns. After a couple of years off Biles returned to the sport and won the all-around title in the World Gymnastics Championships.
Recently, Biles has started to speak up about the impact the last Olympic games had on her mental health. Biles had something called the “twisties” which meant that she was physically not seeing the equipment in the right way and was getting disoriented when she tried to compete. The twisties are dangerous for any gymnast, but especially for Biles, who performs some of the most challenging skills in the world. When she left the competition, America was still able to win medals, but many fans were disappointed.
Recently, in an interview with podcast host Alex Cooper, Biles opened up about how she felt after her decision to drop out. “I thought America Hated Me” was the title of the podcast and one of Bile’s more impactful quotes. Since the Olympic games, Biles has been open about her career journey and how the pressure of being great impacted her mental health. Biles goes to therapy often and has talked in interviews about the benefits of therapy for all athletes.
Biles has stated she wants to try to qualify for the Olympic games, but in recent interviews she has made it clear that it is not the defining moment of her career whether she does or does not qualify. Biles has transcended just “being good” at gymnastics, now advocating for far more than just being great. Her mental health is her top priority, and it seems like the Biles who may get at the Olympics is going to be an important moment, regardless of how she does competitively.
Alli Hering is a senior social studies education and political science major from Apple Valley, MN. It is common to run into Alli outside or in the cage reading books instead of doing classwork. She also is a avid sports fan and loves trying new sports and activities! In the future, Alli hopes to combine her passion for writing and politics in the education realm.