“Sick for Her”: Simone Biles Was Unfortunately Tagged ‘Quitter’ but Her Family Was Deeply Worried After Tokyo Olympics Withdrawal

“Mom, come pick me up. I’m scared,” said Simone Biles on the phone call. “Are you okay?,” asked her mom in apprehension. Her family was worried, and her fans were disheartened, when the 7x Olympic medalist walked out of the Ariake Gymnastics Centre during the 2021 Tokyo Olympics. Citing the issue of “twisties,” when she was exiting the arena, critics called her “Quitter of the year.” She was cladded in Swarovski crystals embroidered red and white leotard when she walked to her coach, with just one thought in mind, “I was going to be banned from America.“

Amidst the noise of the disregards around, Simone was searching for comfort. Her next reaction – she called the home phone, to talk to her family. Her sister, Adria Biles, picked the phone before passing it to their mother, Nellie Biles. Astounded, Adria asked the gymnast, “You’re crying. Are you okay?” To this, Simone confirmed, “I’m out. I’m done.”

Simone Biles defined her parents’ sentiments about her Tokyo Olympics withdrawal on the ‘Call Her Daddy’ podcast aired on April 17, 2024. “My dad is always so calm and collected, it seems. So he was probably like, Oh, is she okay?,” stated Biles while giving details about her father, Ronald Biles’ reaction. She further added, “My mom was like, a mess. I could hear her crying and breaking down, and that’s what broke me, too.”

More so, when her then-boyfriend Jonathan Owens saw Biles walk off a failed Amanar vault in the team final, he felt sick to his stomach. “I was sick for her, just because I can see her facial expressions, I can kind of read her lips and kind of know what was going on and kind of what she was telling her coach,” stated Owens in an interview with ESPN back in 2021.

When ‘Call Her Daddy’ host Alex Cooper further asked about her rough first vault finish, Biles went on to explain how she lost her bearings in the air while performing the Amanar vault. Its simulation consists of two-and-a-half twisting flips, but Biles was only able to complete one-and-a-half twists, before stumbling out of her landing. “The world is going to hate me,” her intrinsic fears surfaced when she touched the ground.

Following this, the gymnast’s siblings shared their concerns about her exit on their respective Twitter handles. While Ron Biles penned, “everyone please pray for my sister @Simone_Biles. She really needs them at this time, and is having a hard time,” Adria Biles called out to the critics with a stern message. “y’all are all about mental health until it no longer benefits you” she added.

Hence, given the extreme pressure and criticism, as Simone Biles was navigating through the rough waters, the gymnast’s clan made sure to support her every step of the way. 

Simone Biles Rising – with friends, family, and fans!

While Jonathan Owens promised, “Imma ride with you through whatever baby,” Biles’ parents, friends, and family helped her immensely in her comeback journey. Next, we know – Simone Biles made a staunch comeback to finish her “unfinished business.”

It was in August 2023, when the 4x Olympic gold medalist donned her GK Elite leotard and marked her resurgence with the All-Around title at the 2023 US Core Hydration Classic. She then aced the most difficult vault, Yurchenko Double Pike, at the 2023 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships, and became the first woman in history to pull off the routine at an international competition. This earned her the 6th All-Around World title. A dramatic comeback indeed!

To share with the world how she gave some stellar performances by leaving behind the turmoil of the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, the gymnast is now all set to tell her story through her four-part Netflix documentary – Simone Biles Rising. And, the trailer is out already.

Interestingly, in the trailer, Biles’ family and friends can be seen sharing anecdotes of how the gymnast coped with the challenges and found her way back to the vault. Commending his wife for an impressive comeback, the Chicago Bears safety said, “She’s bounced back, and she really opened my eyes.” 

Joining forces with Owens, Biles’ mom, and her 2016 Rio Olympics teammate Aly Raisman also shared their acclamations of how the gymnast managed to get back to the gym. “I wanted to quit like 500,000 times and I would’ve if it weren’t for my people,” acknowledged the 27-year-old while expressing her gratitude for her fans, friends, and family. 

Certainly, Simone Biles came a long way. And, now, as she is all set to clinch another gold at the 2024 Paris Olympics, she asserted that she is not just back, but she is here to stay. After all, she conceded out loud, “I get to write my own ending.”