Simone Biles will not compete in all-around competition
The GOAT is bowing out.
Superstar gymnast Simone Biles withdrew from the all-around gymnastics competition Wednesday and won’t be defending her Olympic title after her stunning exit from the team contest over concerns about her mental well-being.
“After further medical evaluation, Simone Biles has withdrawn from the final individual all-around competition at the Tokyo Olympic Games, in order to focus on her mental health,” USA Gymnastics said in a statement Wednesday.
“Simone will continue to be evaluated daily to determine whether or not to participate in next week’s individual event finals. Jade Carey, who had the ninth highest score in qualifications, will participate in her place in the all-around.”
USA Gymnastics said they “wholeheartedly support” the athlete’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.”
Following an underwhelming qualification performance Sunday, Biles, 24, competed in a single rotation Tuesday during the team finals before suddenly dropping out because her mental health wasn’t in the right place.
Jordan Chiles was subbed in to replace Biles on the uneven bars and balance beam and the team went on to win the silver medal, with the Russian Olympic Committee snagging the gold.
Carey, who didn’t initially qualify to be on the team after ranking third behind Biles and Sunisa Lee, will take Biles’ place in the all-around contest Thursday, when she’ll compete in all four events.
International Gymnastics Federal rules limit the amount of athletes each country can have per event in the finals so one locale doesn’t dominate the contest.
All eyes were on the Columbus, Ohio, native when she came to Tokyo after her five-medal haul in the 2016 Olympics solidified her position as the greatest gymnast of all time.
With the retirements of swimmer Michael Phelps and sprinter Usain Bolt, Biles was arguably the face of the 2020 Games and she wrote on social media Monday that she felt the weight of the world on her shoulders and the Olympic pressure was “no joke.”
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That pressure appeared to boil over Tuesday when she lost herself in midair while vaulting during the team finals, missed a double and a half twist and stumbled in her landing. Shortly after, she consulted with US team doctor Marcia Faustin and announced she’d be bowing out for the rest of the team contest.
“Once I came out here [to compete], I was like, ‘No, mental is not there, so I just need to let the girls do it and focus on myself,’” Biles said following the medal ceremony.
Despite her shaky performance, Biles qualified for the finals in all four events Sunday — a feat she didn’t even accomplish in Rio de Janeiro. Now that she’s opted out of the all-around, the door is wide open for a new winner in a contest that’s long been marked by predictable outcomes.
Brazil’s Rebeca Andrade finished second to Biles during the qualifying rounds, followed by Team USA’s Lee and Angelina Melnikova and Vladislava Urazova from the ROC — all separated by just three-tenths of a point.
For Carey, the sudden ability to participate in the all-around caps off a grueling journey for the 21-year-old Phoenix native who spent two years competing in World Cup contests across the globe so she could rack up enough points to earn an individual spot.
Carey came in second on vault and third on floor during the qualifying rounds and will have the chance to snag the gold in the all-around contest Thursday.
