Physical and Mental Health is Above All Olympic Medals
Top gymnast Simone Biles expressed doubts about being able to compete at the Tokyo Olympics.
Mollie Walker | New York Post
The “twisties” are what Biles called them. Her brain and her body movements are not in sync. This causes her to lose track of where in the air she is. Biles says that she does not know and understand how to twist.
She withdrew from the team competition after an unlucky vault attempt, which usually is routine for her. Biles has experienced these so-called “twisties” before, in the 2016 Olympics in Brazil, but not in every event that is happening now in Tokyo.
Several gymnasts expressed their support for Biles, sharing their stories of similar occurrences. The physical risk is great, as being the slightest bit off during a certain exercise can be catastrophic. Gymnasts have been severely hurt before due to this feeling.
Simone Biles is having to recover by starting again from basics and performing exercises on soft surfaces to win back air awareness, and very importantly, confidence back. By doing this, it’s impossible to predict when she will be recovered and ready to compete again.
Biles withdrawing from some of the Olympic events stunned many. She says, however, that the bronze she won in Tokyo, compared to the golds in 2016 and meant a lot more, as she has pushed through so much during her time in Tokyo and the past couple of years.
One of the more important things to come out of these weeks regarding Biles is her opening the discussion of mental health challenges related to athletes. Her coach said that she is talking about therapy.
Many gymnasts and athletes do not or are not able to say that they are in pain until they collapse. This used to be worse before where athletes would not get enough rest, and their bodies would pay the toll.
Theresa Waldrop | CNN
It is simply not worth risking one’s body and mind. Biles stepping up, and withdrawing, has inspired many. When you are feeling uncertain and unsafe, it is essential to take a step back and reconsider. Not stopping is not only hurtful for the athlete themselves, but also the team.
Simone Biles says that her mental and physical health is above all the medals that she could ever win. She also later reported that her aunt unexpectedly passed. People were quick to judge and criticized Biles for supposedly “abandoning” her team.
It is a shame that an athlete trying to protect herself, making the big and difficult decision to withdraw herself from Olympic events, meets such backlash and negativity around her decision. It is important to remember that these athletes are human beings too, as Biles says herself, and the extreme pressure they already face for representing their countries is enormous.
Fortunately, Biles is reminding many young athletes and people in general to find their own boundaries and to draw a line somewhere. No matter what anyone else says, you always must prioritize yourself.
