Simone Biles entered the Gymnastics World with a force and she continues to keep up with it in her every stint. Participating at the 2023 World Gymnastics Championship over the weekend was no different for the icon either. Stepping into the arena, Biles arrived a champion. But no matter how flawlessly the 26-year-old pertained, and how unstoppable she remained on the ground, she was not immune to the obstacles thrown in by life.

Biles was faced with a barrier in 2020 that had her sit out every competition. However, battling it all off, the gymnastics queen emerged a powerful force after a two-year hiatus. After retaining her title and returning a champion, Simone Biles was confronted with a possibility online that she once considered true.

Simone Biles reveals her true feelings about coming back to the arena

On the 8th of October alone, Simone Biles clinched 2 golds in individual apparatus at 2023 Worlds; the balance beam and the floor exercise. While her performance couldn’t have had the spectators doubt the results, her presence felt like a distant possibility to her, having suffered the ‘twisties.’ Thus when a fan posted on X saying, “remember like five months ago we didn?t think Simone would ever compete again,” the gymnast couldn’t help but agree. The 26-year-old who returned from her hiatus this August revealed that she had had similar thoughts. She retweeted the post saying, “real talk I didn?t think so either,” with tear-eyed emojis on top.

After suffering through the ‘twisties’ during the Tokyo Olympics, Biles knew what she needed to prioritize. Putting herself first, she withdrew from the event and then the next ones for 2 whole years. But the Olympian, after undergoing necessary treatments returned not just well, but well with a spectacle.

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Simone makes a comeback for the books

‘Twisties,’ a condition noticed amongst the gymnasts is a nothing if not a dangerous one. A gymnast going through the state experiences a disconnect between the mind and the body. This disconnect leads the gymnast to lose awareness of the surroundings when performing up in the air; having the potential to cause unwelcomed grievances. Simone, detecting and heeding the case early on decided to prioritize her recovery even if it meant giving up on the Olympics.

?You kind of have to take that mental break, because if not, obviously, your body will decide for you, and that?s what mine did in Tokyo,? Simone said, talking to Inside Gymnastics Magazine. ?It was the worst timing, but I?m very happy what happened just because I got to go and really focus on myself. And I?m still continuing to work on myself.??Though the twisties set Simone back and sent her on a hiatus, she made sure not to let go of her career.

Making her first appearance at the Worlds since 2019, Simone stood to break records unthinkable. On the 8th of October, Simone earned a total of 30 World Championship medals; 10 more than the female gymnast next in line. Including her Worlds medal, the 26-year-old stands entitled to a whopping total of 37, becoming the most decorated gymnast ever. Besides her medals, Simone also clenched her 6th-around title equalling the record held by Kohei Uchimura.

After making a Worlds comeback, the Olympics will be an equally big deal for the gymnast. Though the event is the base ground for her mental block, Simone will be speculated to hopefully battle her way; especially after she revealed to NBC Today that she would love to go to Paris 2024.

Watch this story: The Genesis of Historic Gymnastic Maneuver That Led Simone Biles to Glory at World Artistic Gymnastics Championship