Simone Biles Says She ‘Never Truly Believed’ She Was More Than Her Accomplishments
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Simone Biles is thankful for the support she's received since withdrawing from the gymnastics team final and individual all-around final at the Tokyo Olympics.
“The outpouring love & support I’ve received has made me realize I’m more than my accomplishments and gymnastics which I never truly believed before,” the gymnast tweeted on Wednesday, July 28.
This tweet echoes what many supporters have been saying since Biles's withdrawal: that she's a human being who should prioritize her mental health and doesn't exist to entertain us.
“Sending love to Simone Biles, the human being, who deserves all adoration and praise for who she is, not for the super-athletic things she can do to entertain the world,” one person tweeted. “She must be heartbroken and in excruciating pain. She deserves the right to take care of her body and mind.”
Another added, “Your accomplishments are astonishing, but you are more than your accomplishments. You are a loving, caring human being and an inspiration to us all.”
“After further medical evaluation, Simone Biles has withdrawn from the final individual all-around competition at the Tokyo Olympic Games, in order to focus on her mental health,” USA Gymnastics said in a statement on July 28. “We wholeheartedly support Simone's decision and applaud her bravery in prioritizing her well-being. Her courage shows, yet again, why she is a role model for so many.”
Biles herself talked about her reasons for withdrawing on July 27. “I'm just dealing with things internally that will get fixed in the next couple of days,” she said, BBC News reported.
She also added (per USA Today), “After the performance that I did, I didn’t want to go into any of the other events second-guessing myself, so I thought it was better if I took a step back and let these girls go out there and do the job, and they did just that."
Team USA ended up taking home silver medals in the gymnastics team final.
Originally Appeared on Glamour
