Tokyo Olympics: Simone Biles’ Olympics in doubt as medical issue forces her to pull out of team competition- Defending champion Simone Biles’ participation for the remaining part of the Tokyo Olympics is in jeopardy. This development comes as she dramatically withdrew from the team final won by Russia’s women after a “medical issue”. She exited the final at Ariake Gymnastics Centre after a below-par performance in the opening vault and briefly left the competition floor before her return.
The US team replaced her in the three concluding routines on the uneven bars, beam, and floor.
A statement from USA Gymnastics said Biles was suffering from an unspecified “medical issue” and would now face daily assessment to determine whether she can continue her Olympic campaign.
“Simone has withdrawn from the team final competition due to a medical issue,” the statement to AFP said. “She will be assessed daily to determine medical clearance for future competitions.”
After a disappointing performance that saw her exit the evening’s competition, Biles said she was unsure whether she would compete on Thursday in the women’s all-around event.
“After the performance, I just didn’t want to go on,” said Biles, fighting back tears as she met with the media. “We are going to see about Thursday.”
It was a stunning and disappointing start to the Olympics for the U.S. women, who had expected to dominate the final as they had not been beaten in a major team competition since 2011.
But the entire event was turned on its head in an instant when Biles, the world and Olympic all-around champion, completely mistimed her opening vault to earn a low score of 13.766.
It was a setback the U.S. never recovered from as Russia, competing as representatives of the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) because the country was stripped of its flag and anthem for doping offences, claimed the team title for the first time since the Unified Team at the 1992 Barcelona Games. The U.S., winners in 2012 and 2016, settled for silver and Britain claimed the bronze.
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There were signs Biles had been struggling to live up to her high standards.
At the U.S. Olympic Trials in June she was left in tears when she was unable to come to grips with the disappointment of her performance. The pressure of chasing medals continued to build in Tokyo, Biles posting on social media after Sunday’s uninspired qualification effort that she felt she was carrying the weight of the world.
“It wasn’t an easy day or my best but I got through it. I truly do feel like I have the weight of the world on my shoulders at times. I know I brush it off and make it seem like pressure doesn’t affect me but damn sometimes it’s hard hahaha! The Olympics is no joke!” Biles wrote on Instagram.
Biles has qualified for every event in Tokyo and along with the all-around is scheduled to contest four apparatus finals during the second week.
Six golds are now out of reach but Biles could still equal the record of nine held by Russian gymnast Larisa Latynina over three Olympic Games – Melbourne 1956, Rome 1960 and Tokyo 1964.
But she hinted some things are more important than medals.
“I do not trust myself anymore,” said Biles. “I tried to go out there for the team and they stepped up to the plate. “I have to focus on my mental health.”
Despite taking a single vault, Biles will add a silver medal to the five she won at the Rio 2016 Games, including four golds.
But her bid to become the greatest female Olympian of all-time with 10 golds is over.
Biles’s competition got off to a bad start on the vault in the first rotation. All three Russians scored higher, as did her U.S. teammates.
Stunned and close to tears, Biles, gold medal winner on the vault at the Rio Olympics, sat dejected in a chair as coaches and teammates surrounded her before moving onto the uneven bars, the U.S. sitting second, 1.067 behind their Russian rivals.
Biles, however, appeared to be more than simply disappointed, leaving the arena with the trainer as her teammates warmed up.
By now coaches and officials sprinkled throughout the Ariake Gymnastics Centre had begun to chatter as Biles reappeared minutes later slipping into her warm-up gear.
While Biles left the arena uncertain if she would be back some of here fellow gymnasts fully expect to see her on Thursday.
- With inputs from Reuters and AFP
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