The little child in foster care, who was worried about her potential future, would definitely be proud today. After being adopted and taken care of by Nellie and Ronald Biles, Simone Biles is an international name today. Having won 7 Olympic gold medals till now, Biles is undoubtedly the queen of modern-day gymnastics. Interestingly, even the GOAT’s journey to the top is not devoid of thorns. While the 27-year-old has experienced the highs of life, she is also quite accustomed to the lows. 

Biles, who has been a victim of bullying since childhood, has always been vocal about mental well-being. Things escalated when the dreaded twisties almost derailed Biles’ career after the Tokyo Olympics. With multiple therapy sessions and unthinkable trauma coming her way, Biles made sure that her voice was heard.

Revising her approach towards mental wellness with the Olympics network, a beaming Simone Biles remained thankful for being able to be a part of the second edition of ‘Gold Over America’ Tour. She said, “Obviously, we wanted to share that story of ‘it’s okay to not be okay,’… but this one is the outcome of putting in that work, taking care of yourself, and where it gets you.”

Biles further stressed on how taking care of oneself was the key to success. Rightly so, after taking a step back, Simone Biles had a scintillating Paris Olympics. Winning three gold and a silver medal, the US gymnastics queen proved that her approach towards mental health was spot on. Excited about sharing her success story on the ‘Gold Over America’ Tour, Biles urged her fans not to miss the visual spectacle of walking through the different alleys of her life with the champion herself. 

Looking back at her journey till now, it feels surreal how she was at the pinnacle of greatness before the Tokyo Olympics. Coming to her second Olympics outing, Biles was a star and everyone expected her to win the gold for Team USA. Unfortunately, her failure to execute two-and-a-half turns on the vault, followed by a bizarre landing, was enough to plummet Biles’ reputation, crashing down. Facing a swarm of criticism, Biles initially considered giving up her career. But then, the champions’ mentality kicked in and the 27-year-old started to advocate for mental well-being. 

Simone Biles opens up about her mental struggles 

Coming to the Tokyo Olympics, Biles knew something was off. Speaking in her Netflix documentary, ‘Simone Biles Rising’, the gymnastics GOAT mentioned that she suffered panic attacks and anxiety. However, things turned worse when Biles had to pull out of her Olympics campaign due to ‘twisties’. As people were unaware of her situation, Biles was attacked viciously and was even termed as a ‘quitter’. The wave of negativities was so strong that Biles feared that the entire America hated her.

Gradually, she began to gather herself with able support from her family. As Biles started to recover slowly, she became more and more vocal about the importance of mental wellness. Speaking on the topic, Biles stated, “We have to protect our body and our mind … It just sucks when you’re fighting with your own head. I know I brush it off and make it seem like pressure doesn’t affect me but sometimes it’s hard, hahaha! The Olympics is no joke.” As she now stands on an invincible pedestal, Biles’ advocacy on the mental well-being issue is regarded highly all over the world. 

In a recent interaction with Olympics.com before her ‘Gold Over America’ journey, Biles stressed that becoming a mental health advocate was not her goal. She just wanted to talk about her experiences, as it was very important to address the dark side of her mental health. Thus, with greatness wrapped all around her, Simone Biles is a shining example of how to make things happen when nothing goes your way.