USA Gymnastics star Simone Biles recently withdrew from the team final and final individual all-around competitions in the Tokyo Olympics. She cited her mental health issues as the reason for the sudden exit, something that has garnered her a lot of support from fans and fellow athletes alike.
After the overwhelming messages of love that she received and continues to get, Biles broke her silence again and took it to Twitter to show her appreciation to everyone who showed their understanding and support to her. According to Biles, it made her realize that she is “more than my accomplishments and gymnastics,” which she “never truly believed before.”
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. 🤍
— Simone Biles (@Simone_Biles) July 29, 2021
While there were also a slew of haters who quickly jumped and showed no compassion to the Olympic gold medalist–like one Charlie Kirk who called the Olympian a “selfish sociopath“–the positivity still dominated over all the negatives.
For one, decorated swimmer and multiple Olympics gold medalist Michael Phelps showed his support and understanding for what Simone Biles is going through. In a message in the wake of the shock exit, Phelps highlighted that “it’s OK to not be OK.”
“We’re human beings. Nobody is perfect. It’s OK to not be OK. It’s OK to go through ups and down and emotional rollercoasters. The biggest thing is, we all need to ask for help when we go through those times. … It was hard for me to ask for help,” Phelps said on NBC.
NBA stars and other athletes in the Tokyo Olympics also made sure to show their unity for Biles. Jayson Tatum, in fact, came to the defense of the 24-year-old when Kirk criticized her. Meanwhile, Cleveland Cavaliers star Kevin Love applauded Biles for opening up, thereby empowering and helping many others to be brave and also share what they are feeling if they are also having mental health concerns.
It remains to be seen if Biles will return to the Tokyo Olympics games in the remaining contests. Regardless of her decision, though, it's clear he has made a winning impact already.
Follow Us
Subscribe