Simone Biles withdraws from the women's gymnastics floor finals at Tokyo Olympics

It's the second competition the gymnast has pulled out of, saying she has to 'put her mental health first'

Simone Biles of USA poses with her Medal haul after the Apparatus Finals on Day 10 of the FIG Artistic Gymnastics World Championships at Hanns Martin Schleyer Hall on October 13, 2019 in Stuttgart, Germany.
(Image credit: Laurence Griffiths / Staff Getty)

American gymnast Simone Biles has withdrawn from another event at the Olympic Games in Tokyo - but her team have said 'we’re all behind you'.

The 24-year-old Olympian has made a decision not to compete in the floor exercise events final, which is due to take place on Monday. This comes as the gymnast withdrew from the Women's Gymnastics Team Final on Tuesday after she made a mistake during her first event on the vault. 

On Tuesday, after her team won silver in the event, Simone said she had to 'focus on my mental health'.


The USA gymnastics team confirmed the news on Twitter writing: "Simone has withdrawn from the event final for floor and will make a decision on beam later this week.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."

Biles spoke about her mental health, after pulling out of the team event, this week, saying: "After the performance I did, I just didn't want to go on. I have to focus on my mental health. I just think mental health is more prevalent in sports right now.

"We have to protect our minds and our bodies and not just go out and do what the world wants us to do. I don't trust myself as much anymore. Maybe it's getting older. There were a couple of days when everybody tweets you and you feel the weight of the world."

She went on to add: "We're not just athletes. We're people at the end of the day and sometimes you just have to step back."

Simone Biles originally qualified for every single women's gymnastics medal event at the Tokyo Olympics.  This included the women's qualifying, the women's gymnastics team final, the women's all-around, the vault and uneven bars events final, the floor exercise events final, and the balance beam events final. 

At the last Olympic Games in Rio de Janerio, Simone won four gold medals in the all-around, floor, and vault competitions. She also won a gold medal as part of the USA team.

Simone has spoken up on Instagram about the support from her friends, family and colleagues after she pulled out of some of her events. In one post this week she wrote: "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."

Sarah Finley

Sarah is a freelance journalist - writing about the royals and celebrities for Woman & Home, fitness and beauty for the Evening Standard and how the world of work has changed due to the pandemic for the BBC. 

 

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