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Simone Biles says 'I have to focus on my mental health' after pulling out of team final

Simone Biles says 'I have to focus on my mental health' after pulling out of team final

By Semi Turaga
28/07/2021
Four-time Olympic gold medallist Simone Biles. [image: RNZ]

Four-time Olympic gold medallist Simone Biles says she has to focus on her mental health after pulling out of the women's gymnastics team final.

The American left the arena after the vault, but later returned to support her teammates as they claimed silver behind Russia.

Biles who is 24 scored 13.766 - her lowest Olympic vault score - before withdrawing from the event.

She says we have to protect our minds and our bodies and not just go out and do what the world wants us to do.

Biles says there are couple of days when everybody tweets about you and you feel the weight of the world.

Biles is the most successful US gymnast of all time, and winner of four gold medals and a bronze at Rio 2016.

The 30-time Olympic and World Championship medallist needs four podium finishes in Tokyo to become the most decorated gymnast - male or female - in history.

She has reached all five individual finals and is undecided on whether she will compete in her next event tomorrow when she will attempt to become the first woman to retain the Olympic all-around title since 1968.

The US were the favourites for the team gymnastics gold in Tokyo after winning five successive world titles - in 2011, 2014, 2015, 2018 and 2019 - in addition to their back-to-back Olympic gold medals in London and Rio.

[Source: BBC]

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