“Was Super Shocked, Like Gross”: Simone Biles Faces Her Biggest Fear That Ruined Her Podium Moment Back in 2014

Simone Biles is one of the greatest gymnasts the world has ever seen. With 25 World Championship medals under her belt, she is the most decorated gymnast currently. Simone has been consistent with her performances and showed her domination in the sport in a small stint of time.

Simone has had her own sets of ups and downs throughout her career. But one thing was common during times; her fighting spirit. The spirit and courage with which she overcame all the hurdles is commendable. Though she withdrew her name from the Tokyo Olympics due to mental health reasons, it in no sense means she is not a fighter.

Simone Biles faces her biggest fear 

After her withdrawal from the Tokyo Olympics, Simone Biles had been away from the media for approximately a year. Recently she got her own Snapchat show called ‘Daring Simone Biles’. The show has an interesting format. Simone attempts some challenges and entertains her fans with many fun activities in her new show. The first guest on the show was her fiancé and NFL player, Jonathan Owens.

In the second episode of the show, Simone attempts to overcome her biggest fear. Describing her biggest fear, she said, ” In 2014, I had just won the world championships and was on the award stand and then one of the other competitors was like hey Simone, there is a bee in your bouquet. I started running from it, it chased me around the podium and I was pretty freaked out by it“. 

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The observation hive full of bees terrified Simone. “I was super shocked, like gross”, said Simone, describing her first impression of the observation hive. However, she decided to overcome her fear once and for all. After learning about the processes used by beekeepers, Simone kept her calm and decided to give it a shot. She finally overcame it.

Simone’s Advocacy for mental health

After performing in the qualifying rounds in the Tokyo Olympics, Simone withdrew from the Summer games. Simone believed that fear and nervousness all summed up at that particular moment. She mentioned that she was suffering from ‘the twisties’, a psychological phenomenon causing a gymnast to lose air awareness while performing twisting elements.

Ever since the withdrawal, Simone has been very critical of her mental health. She speaks up about issues like mental health in different forums and conferences. The motive behind being vocal is to make others with the same struggles know that they are not alone. As per Simone, it is best to rely on family and friends during hard times.

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As of July 2022, Simone has not officially confirmed her return to the sport. However, fans are curious and are awaiting any updates regarding the same.