Remember 2021? Let’s not forget the excitement surrounding the Tokyo Olympics. A young Simone Biles, fresh from a string of four Olympic gold medals and a bronze in Rio 2016, was the center of attention. Indeed, the anticipation was high, but the crowd was surprised when they saw her withdrawing from the coveted event, leaving Team USA behind.

What for? Twisties. Indeed, the gymnast’s mental blocks hindered her performance, causing her to feel different every time she stepped onto the mat. The community was divided by Biles’ decision, with many even accusing her of quitting. However, twisties were actually a big deal, as later the public got more information about it. And recently, Biles’ sister Adria recalled one of the darkest times that her sister went through while competing in gymnastics.

One time when Simone Biles almost lost everything

Who imagined a gymnast like Simone Biles suffering from the sport that she adored a lot? Nobody. Indeed, it was surprising to see her exit not only from the Olympic Games but also to stay away from any kind of gymnastics event for a long time, lasting for a few seasons until her comeback in 2023. It was also a scary experience for her legion of followers, who even thought that they would never see the same Biles ever again on the mat.

Was it that bad? Unfortunately, yes, it was. Many claimed it was the pressure that got to her, but it was something her sister was irritated about. Adria has known Simone since they were children, and she knows her sister better than anybody else. She even compared twisties to yips in golf, where golfers from any skill level experience an involuntary jerk while concentrating their shots. But Adria revealed a darker reality of the mental block during an interview with SI, stating, “It wasn’t like a panic attack. She’s trying one of the most difficult things in the world, and she almost died!”

Scary, isn’t it? Absolutely! Losing control in gymnastics can be the last thing that a gymnast wants while performing such tricks, as it can affect them in a great way, even causing fatal injuries. Adria was totally not happy with the way things turned out once for her sister. Simone never wanted to get separated from gymnastics, as she just loved the sport more than anything. And going from wanting to compete and crave medals to just trying not to hurt herself anytime she was on the mat is just heartbreaking.

And can you blame her? No, because mental blocks are a big problem in any sport. It doesn’t let the athlete be the previous version of themselves. But what was Simone’s reaction to the twisties? “The end goal wasn’t even the Olympics. It was, like, be happy doing gymnastics again. Feel like you’re not gonna die,” the gymnast went candid about her feelings. It was too much for Simone, and her fall from grace became a wake-up call for the other gymnasts, as they can also suffer from this deadly mental block. But for the gymnast, it was something that left her traumatized for a long time.

Leaving the gymnast fully frustrated

At the Tokyo Olympics, Biles withdrew from the first rotation of the team final. While she was able to secure a bronze medal in the balance beam finals, she knew that she wasn’t there at her full potential. Twisties were complex, and she recalled her frustration while talking to Alex Cooper on the “Call Her Daddy” podcast, stating, “I left so many times that it was frustrating for both me and Laurent because he didn’t fully understand the twisties. And for a lot of the time, as gymnasts, we know what happens, but it’s very unspoken of, and whenever it happens, you pretend it doesn’t happen.”

Indeed, twisties can happen to any gymnast out there, but at that time fate had it stored for Biles. The gymnast’s mind was filled with thoughts that weren’t so positive. She was frustrated with the current situation and even felt guilty for abandoning her team during the highly anticipated competition. Indeed, Biles endured a lot of mental health problems, and things weren’t easy when a bunch of critics were trying to bash her for the twisties. While she understood that the mental block was something many weren’t aware of, she just wanted people to understand what she was going through at that time.