“I Was Afraid”: Simone Biles’ Ban Scare Reminds Olympic Medalist of Her Own Struggle After Tokyo

How many people know Simone Biles returned to the Tokyo Olympics to win a bronze in the balance beam final after experiencing “twisties”? It’s mind-boggling how people simply discussed Biles’s decision to withdraw from the event finals, as she rightfully presumed “the world is going to hate me.” Imagine the strain that builds up to the point where you fall awkwardly on the Olympic floor to what gymnasts call a “mental block.” Fortunately for Biles, she learned her lesson to prioritize her mental health and bravely spoke to the world about it.

After a long break, Simone Biles entered gymnastics competitions again last year with the obvious goal of participating in her third Olympics this summer. Last year, she tallied 37 international titles along with five signature moves, to become the most decorated gymnast in the world. And now there are shared fears from the Tokyo Olympics fallout which prompted US shot putter Raven Saunders to share her own challenges from the Mega Games.

Simone Biles becomes a force to be reckoned with

In an interview with the ‘Call Her Daddy’ podcast that was released this Wednesday, Biles revealed how the Tokyo Games’ “twisties” affected her. Raven Saunders, the silver medallist in the women’s shot put from Tokyo, could relate to a clip of the interview that was shared on X. Saunders aka the self-described “Hulk,” wrote on X, “Chile she a real one bc after losing my mom 2 days after winning silver, the whole 2022 year I was afraid to do well at a track meet bc it felt like the world would end if I did.”

When Biles stumbled and fell awkwardly during her vault routine, it obviously shocked the world. Biles later realized she needed to focus on mental health and withdrew from the team final and the individual all-around final. Still, she was mindful of her choice. Simone Biles painstakingly recalled her thoughts and explained, “If I could have got on a plane and flown home, I would have done it. As soon as I landed (the vault), I was like, ‘America hates me, the world is going to hate me, and I can only see what they’re saying on Twitter right now. That was my first thought … I thought I was going to be banned from America. Because that’s what they tell you, ‘Don’t come back if it’s not gold. Gold or bust – don’t come back.’”

The four-time Olympic gold medalist described the twisties in more detail on the podcast, drawing comparisons to baseball or golf’s yips. But in gymnastics, the phenomena could be more hazardous if it leads to a risky landing for an athlete. The same goes for any other sport. Similarly, the two-time Olympic medalist Saunders also suffered from horrifying experiences.

Another solemn voice bellows Simone Biles’ sentiments

2016 saw Raven Saunders place fifth in the shot put competition at the Rio Olympics. However, in just two years, she reached her lowest point and considered ending her life. Saunders had a difficult journey to Tokyo after publicly battling depression for years after the Rio Olympics and then stepping away from the spotlight to resume a regular life. She admitted, “Being quite young in my journey and seeing friends that were living the life that I wanted to have at that point, it just became a lot mentally weighing down on me.”

After being admitted to the hospital and suffering injuries, she was given another opportunity to compete internationally. To help others feel less alone, Saunders said she has been fairly open about her struggles with mental health just like Simone Biles. It also explains why, as a queer Black woman, she wears her identities with such pride. Now, with the fast approaching games, Simone Biles, 27 will look to increase her medal tally, putting her dark days behinf her.