"I'll forever be afraid" - When Simone Biles opened up on her teammates' role to make a comeback at gymnastics amid thoughts of giving up

Simone Biles once opened up on how her teammates motivated her to make a comeback in gymnastics after her withdrawal at the Tokyo Olympics. Biles withdrew from the competition after suffering from twisties, a phenomenon where the gymnast loses control over the body while hitting the air. Biles stayed away from the sport for nearly two years before making a return during the 2023 Core Hydration Classic.

The legendary gymnast's return to the competitive arena was inspired by her teammates' unwavering support and motivation at the World Champions Centre in Texas. In an interview with Olympics.com in September 2023, Biles reflected on the important role of her teammates, stating that they encouraged her to keep going. She further expressed her gratitude for making the comeback while adding that if she leaves the sport now, she can still perform her top skills.

“The girls on the team really helped me with that because they were like, ‘No, Simone, just come in. Come on.' And I’m like, ‘Okay, you’re right. I can’t give up now because then I’ll forever be afraid of it,'” Biles said. “I, at least, knew that if I were to walk away from the sport, I could come in the gym and at least do a full-in, a double-double, or triple-double and I’d be good. I feel like right now, if I walk away, I know that I can do that, so that helps me.”

On her return, Simone Biles won the all-around, beam, and floor titles at the Classic.

"Knew that the girls would do an absolutely great job": Simone Biles once opened up on the real reason she pulled out from the Paris Olympics

Simone Biles at the Olympic Games 2024 in Paris, France. (Photo by Getty Images)

Simone Biles once revealed the real reason why she discontinued competing at the Olympics. Although Biles was struggling with mental health, she won two medals at the Tokyo Olympics. She could have continued and competed at the Games, but stepped back after realizing her teammates had better chances of earning the medals for the nation after her withdrawal.

“I just felt like it would be a little bit better to take a back seat to work on my mindfulness, and I knew that the girls would do an absolutely great job,” Simone Biles explained. “I didn't want to risk the team a medal for kind of my screw-ups because they've worked way too hard for that. So, I just decided that those girls need to go in and do the rest the competition.”

Before withdrawing, Biles collected a silver and a bronze medal in the team and balance beam events, respectively.