Simone Biles made history at the 2024 Paris Olympics earning her second all-around gold medal, the only woman in U.S. history to accomplish this achievement. She is not only a role model to many young girls but is an inspiration across all sports.
Simone Biles posing with her bedazzled “GOAT” chain and another gold medal to add to her collection. Courtesy of NBCNews.com.
But she wasn’t always known as the Greatest Of All Time.
2020 sparked a year no one expected from Biles. Shaken after a rough landing on the vault attempting two and a half twists, Biles dropped out of the event. She went on to drop out of several events, pulling out of most of the Tokyo Olympics overall.
For most people, it may have seemed like a rough landing. For those who understand the sport, however, it was clear something didn’t seem right. Biles had reportedly looked “lost in the air,” and only managed one and a half twists.
Biles seemed out of her element for the first time, but it sparked conversation regarding the mental health of athletes.
Olympians are at the very height of their sport. Not only are they representing their countries, but people are relying on them to succeed and bring home a medal to show their hard work. There aren’t many people in the world that can relate to them and sometimes they even seem other-worldly.
The truth is, regardless of how they seem on their respective playing fields, they are human. Like any other human, they are bound to crash and fall at times. Placing unrealistic standards on athletes and putting them on pedestals they can’t sustain will only further harm the narrative put upon them.
Biles had extreme expectations set upon her for the 2020 Olympics, but when is it too much? Courtesy of Olympics.com.
Victory should never come at the cost of a person’s mental and physical health. In the past few years, there has been a growing number of awareness regarding mental health in the sports world.
Biles was regarded as a “quitter” and a “failure” following her time in Tokyo. The majority of people commenting negatively on her character seemed to be outside of the gymnastics world and did not understand the level of difficulty she has managed to achieve in her career.
Despite being deemed a “quitter,” Biles still managed to leave Tokyo with two more medals to add to her collection.
No one else can perform all of the skills Biles has and few even attempt them. There is an immeasurable amount of mental strength required to do the things she has done. When that is lost, the work must be done off the mat.
It is a true testament to Biles’ character that she was able to recognize when it was time to step back. If she had continued her events in Tokyo, she could have further injured herself or much worse.
There are very few athletes who would have the strength, mentally and physically, to understand when it is time to stop. The “tough it out” mindset shouldn’t be blamed on the athletes but on the overall culture surrounding the sports world.
Being “tough” shouldn’t mean someone actively harming themselves for the sake of the sport. A true athlete is defined by their perseverance and willingness to get back up- when it’s safe to do so.
Biles not only came back four years later in Paris to prove to the world who she was, but she came back for herself. She reclaimed her spot in history and is currently the most decorated U.S. gymnast of all time.
For any female fans who have followed Biles throughout her career, it was evident that she never lost her title in the first place.
Biles proudly waving the American flag at the Paris 2024 Olympics. Courtesy of Theguardian.com.
Most of the female gymnasts at this year’s Olympics had to overcome something to get back into their sport. None of these circumstances make them any less of an athlete but further showcase their abilities and dedication to the sport.
Being mentally strong is just as important as the physical aspects of sports. Olympians are one-of-a-kind athletes, and their mental strength only proves the sheer magnitude of what they can accomplish.
The topic of mental health has shifted over time and these conversations are beginning to center around the athletes themselves. More and more athletes are speaking up every day and learning to advocate for themselves. Biles can be partially credited for that, as she was brave enough to showcase her vulnerability.
At the end of the day, Simone Biles will not be defined by her exit from the Tokyo Olympics, but she will be remembered as the Greatest of All Time.
Edited by Breanna Ebisch
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