What’s next for Simone Biles? Will she compete again?

Simone Biles of the United States waits to perform on the vault during the artistic gymnastics women’s final at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Tuesday, July 27, 2021, in Tokyo. The American superstar has withdrawn from the all-around competition to focus on her mental well-being. | Gregory Bull, Associated Press

The legendary gymnast withdrew from the team and all-around competitions at the Tokyo Olympics

Simone Biles' future at the Tokyo Olympics remains uncertain. She withdrew from the team competition Tuesday and from the all-around competition Wednesday, reported the Deseret News.

• Jade Carey will replace Biles in the all-around competition, reported ABC News.
• After Biles withdrew Tuesday, Grace McCallum, Jordan Chiles and Suni Lee led Team USA to win silver, per the Deseret News.

The gymnastics legend has four more opportunities to compete next week in the event finals, reported The New York Times. Biles has not publicly commented on the finals but will be evaluated daily to assess her participation.

Will Simone Biles compete in Tokyo?

Biles has qualified for all four events of next week’s event finals. She is the first woman to do so since the 1992 Olympics, per USA Today. Biles’s was — and may still be — favored to win gold at all four events.

• The vault finals and uneven bar finals will take place Sunday.
• The floor finals will take place Monday.
• The balance beam finals will take place Tuesday, per USA Today.

This gives Biles four days until she could compete again. The gymnast could choose to participate in some or all of the event finals, reported The New York Times.

Why did Simone Biles withdraw?

Biles chose to withdraw from the team and all-around competitions because she did not consider herself in the right place mentally to continue competing without risk of serious injury, reported The New York Times.

“I want to walk out of here, not be dragged out by a stretcher or something,” Biles said after the final Tuesday, per The New York Times.

• Her decision has sparked a discussion about the role of mental health in athletic competitions and the culture of gymnastics, reported the Deseret News.
• All gymnasts face the challenge of simultaneously maintaining peak mental and physical health, reported The New York Times.

“Simone will continue to be evaluated daily to determine whether or not to participate in next week’s individual event finals,” USA Gymnastics said in a statement Wednesday, per ABC News.

• “We wholeheartedly support Simone’s decision and applaud her bravery in prioritizing her well-being,” the organization said per The New York Times. “Her courage shows, yet again, why she is a role model for so many.”

What will Biles do after the Olympics?

Biles already has plans for after the Tokyo Games. She had previously planned to travel across the country with other female gymnasts in the Gold Over America Tour, reported USA Today.

“She’s going to be busy with the tour,” said Cecile Landi, one of Biles’ coaches, back in April. “I think she needs to take some time and try to figure out what she wants to do.”

• ​​“If she wants to come do a couple events, she knows she can still be the best on for sure in two events, maybe three. Depends on where she’s at,” Landi said, per USA Today.
• “She’ll enjoy life. And then we’ll see,” Landi said. “She might be bored. She might be like, let me break another record and then go out.”

from Deseret News https://ift.tt/3zMuPh2