“Felt Like My Life Was Going Down the Drain”: Emotionally Struggling Simone Biles Faced a Career-Threatening Moment in 2013

Simone Biles, the gymnastics icon, is regarded as one of the greatest gymnasts. What makes her great is not only her achievements but her decision to withdraw from the 2020 Olympics due to mental health issues. Despite her exceptional talent, there were moments the seven-time Olympic medalist felt hopeless about life.

The name ‘Biles’ became a phenomenon with her spectacular performances in the 2016 Games. She is the first female gymnast in history to win three straight world championships. In an interview before the 2016 Rio Olympics, Biles opened up on her relationship with Aimee Boorman, her long-time coach, and how she helped her deal with her emotional struggles in 2013.

Simone Biles didn’t give in to her battles

Biles displayed prodigious skills at a very young age. In 2013, the 16-year-old was readily named to the senior national team. In the Secret U.S. Classic in Chicago, the gymnastics sensation didn’t seem fine. Episodes of falling off from the uneven bars, lacking focus on the balance beam, and a minor injury on her ankle during floor exercise became worrisome concerns.

Recounting those incidents, the gymnastics legend said, “I felt like my life was going down the drain.” Boorman added, “We were like, this could be it, this could be the end of her and gymnastics.” Boorman suggested Biles sought help from a sports psychology coach, Robert Andrews, to ease the mental stress.

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The intervention turned out helpful, as evident in her outstanding victory in her debut World Championships coming home with an all-around gold medal. Notably, Biles created the record of three consecutive World Championship all-around gold medal wins (2013-16) even before her Olympics debut.

Biles began enjoying herself at competitions

In 2013, Biles’ parents threw a big party after her first major win in her career. It was not until then that the athlete realized what she had achieved. “She pretty much had a meltdown,” Nellie said. Soon after, she started viewing gymnastics as more of an art and became comfortable with competitions.

Staying true to the artistic nature of the sport, she said, “So you do have to be a little bit of an actress.” Besides, she had fun performing feats and confessed, “The dancing is more of the acting, but my facial expressions, those are real.”

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It’s been a long time since Biles stepped down from elite competitions, yet she continues to make headlines. The gymnastics star and her fiancée, Jonathan Owens, an NFL star, are gearing up to say the ‘I dos’ next year. And fans can’t keep calm about it. Are you waiting too? Share in the comment section.