Simone Biles’ Triumphant Return to Gymnastics

Biles won the U.S classic in her first competition since pulling out of the Olympics in 2020. She pulled out stating mental health reasons and a case of the “twisties.” Now Biles claims she feels good both mentally and physically. The question remains if Biles will compete in the next Olympics.

As she almost immaculately landed her famous Yurchenko double pike, Simone Biles pulled off yet another miraculous win, surpassing the second place winner Leanne Wong by five points. Having withdrawn from the world of competitive sports only to come back two years later to once again dominate the world of gymnastics, it seems as if Biles had never left.

Back in the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, the once “invincible” Simone Biles only won bronze in women’s balance beam after opting out of four of the five gymnastic finals. She was experiencing the “twisties,” a mental block that causes gymnasts to doubt their abilities and lose track of their positions in the air. Pulling out of the Olympics was an extremely difficult choice to make, since it is every athlete’s dream to shine on the world stage. However, it seemed the only way to protect her physical and mental health, and Team USA’s medal contention. Critics attacked Biles as a “national embarrassment” and claimed her opting out was a sign of weakness. Some even asserted that she should be disqualified from future competitions for USA Gymnastics. Yet in Biles' opinion, “walking away from the Olympic Games was a win in itself,” and she later regarded this decision as “probably the most courageous I've ever been.” Since then, the athlete widely acknowledged as the greatest gymnast of all times, has taken a two-year-long hiatus to regain her mental health.

Now that Biles has staged a comeback with renewed confidence, will she return to the 2024 Olympics? Biles recently made an appearance on “Today” and expressed, “that’s the path I would want to go.” Biles also revealed that she was “feeling really good right now” and that even though she “still sometimes doubts herself”, she is “still doing [her] therapy and making sure everything’s aligned.”

Simone Biles dominates the sports world not only because of her phenomenal achievements in gymnastics, but also her admirable courage to stand up — she has helped athletes and audiences realize that mental health is of as much importance as physical health. Fans understand when athletes withdraw from competitions because of physical conditions. So why would athletes opting out of contests because their mental state is in jeopardy face angry backlash? Mental disorders can be even more difficult to detect and measure than physical injuries, and can do immeasurable and even devastating harm to athletes. Gymnasts at the same level as Biles withstand considerable pressure during competitions; when gymnasts suffer from the “twisties,” they are often influenced by their pride, the audience’s expectations, or their team’s chances of winning and compete regardless of their mental state. Competing without full confidence can lead to grave injuries. Biles’ decision demonstrates that mental health, which has been undervalued in athletics for a long term, should be prioritized over winning, and she states that “We’re not just athletes or entertainment, we’re human, too, and we have emotions and feelings and things that we’re working through behind the scenes that we don’t tell you guys about. Put your mental health first, it doesn’t matter if you’re on the biggest stage. That’s more important than any medal you could win.”

Biles is also a victim of the Larry Nassar sexual abuse scandal. Larry Nassar, former sports medicine physician, was the team doctor of the United States women’s national gymnastics team for eighteen years, during which he sexually abused many of them, including Biles.

said Biles during her emotional testimony about Nassar’s abuse. Biles also revealed that the drop-out incident during the Tokyo Olympics was closely tied to her struggles to recover from her abuse by Nassar, further shedding light on the significance of this deplorable scandal.

Many of the girls and women who suffered under the hands of Larry Nassar battle with depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, and a few have even attempted suicide. The indelible effects the abuse has had on the mental health of these innocent athletes is unimaginable. Unfortunately, in our society, sexual harassment in girl’s and women’s sports is not an uncommon issue; according to childhelp.org, at least 40% of female (child) athletes have experienced harassment and abuse while playing. It is actually one of the biggest contributors to mental health issues in the sports world, and leaves ineradicable scars on victims. Because of social pressure, many victims choose to conceal the truth and endure this burden on their own, waiting silently for their scars to mend.

By advocating for mental health, Simone Biles continues to be a trailblazer by encouraging other athletes to step out and seek help proactively when they experience stress, depression, sexual abuse, and other mental hindrances. Her powerful voice is changing the sporting world. Hopefully, more and more athletes will follow Biles’ path and stand up for their rights. If this necessary work is done, sports associations will be forced to stop turning a blind eye to the mental health issues that overwhelm young athletes and protect the mental health of future athletes.

Jessica Wu