Aly Raisman reveals reason Simone Biles wanted to compete despite calf pain at Paris Olympics

Simone Biles and Aly Raisman
Simone Biles and Aly Raisman; (Credits: Getty)

Aly Raisman recalled when Simone Biles voiced her wish to compete at the 2024 Paris Olympics so that people wouldn't call her a quitter again. The second season of the Netflix docuseries, "Simone Biles Rising," ready to hit the screens on October 25, will cover the Olympian's Paris Games journey, where she competed despite a calf injury.

Biles withdrew midway through the competition at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, citing 'twisties'. As the reigning champion of the 2016 Rio Olympics, her decision to pull out for the mental block didn't sit well with the hopeful fans. In the first season of the Netflix docuseries, 'Simone Biles Rising', the Olympian addressed the attitude of people who sat and judged her from the comfort of their homes and called her a 'quitter'.

"Sitting on your couch watching me from home. OK," she said.

In the promo for the second season of the docuseries, Aly Raisman, the retired gymnast who was part of the 'Final Five' gymnastics team alongside Biles, revealed that the latter wished to silence criticisms by competing at the Paris Olympics despite a calf injury.

"After the competition, I asked, 'How did you do that again in so much pain?' And she said, 'I couldn't have people tell me I was a quitter again"

On the first day of the quadrennial Games, the seven-time Olympic gold medalist sustained a calf injury while warming up on the floor exercise. Despite the setback, she finished on top and qualified for the all-around finals.

Later, her coach, Cecile Landi, confirmed that the injury was minor and didn't pose a threat to her campaign.


Simone Biles to Aly Raisman - "A lot of weight is off my shoulders"

Simone Biles and Aly Raisman at the Rio Olympics 2016 - Source: Getty
Simone Biles and Aly Raisman at the Rio Olympics 2016 - Source: Getty

Simone Biles sat with her former teammate Aly Raisman and talked about the weight of fan expectations, which affected her on the competition stage. She shared that winning an event helps her lift the weight off her shoulders and focus on the next.

"I think what I've come to the conclusion of this, there are such high expectations on me that I'm supposed to win. So, whenever I do win or get whatever medal that is, I feel a relief off my shoulder like, 'Puff... I did it. I'm done. Let's move onto the next," she said. (via Olympics.com exclusives)

Biles won three golds and one silver at the 2024 Olympics and soon switched to the Gold Over America tour, which will stop at Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia on October 4, 2024.

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Edited by nagpaltusharn25
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