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If there is one thing we can still all rally behind in this fractured world, it's a good comeback story. And none is greater right now than that of Simone Biles — who stunned the world (and possibly herself) by winning her sixth all-around world championship gold at the 2023 World Championships in Belgium on Friday.
Now, Biles is opening up about her mental health journey that led her back to this point. The world infamously saw her at her low point, at the Olympic Games in Tokyo in 2021, as she struggled with a mental block known as “the twisties” and was forced to withdraw from many of her events.
Biles, 26, was very open about her mental health struggles, and knew herself well enough to realize she needed a two year break from gymnastics to focus on self-care. All that patience and hard work has paid off, as Biles is clearly back at the top of her game.
Seeing her emerge triumphant on the other side of this trying experience is cathartic for all her millions of fans, and she took to Instagram Wednesday to acknowledge how much that support has helped her.
“I would like to extend my heartfelt gratitude to fans, friends, family & partnerships who have been unwavering pillars of support throughout my mental health journey. Your encouragement, love, and belief in me have been instrumental in my success and recovery,” Biles said.
She added, “Knowing that you were there, cheering me on, gave me the strength to push through the toughest moments. I feel truly blessed to have such an incredible support system, and I can't thank you enough for being with me every step of the way. Your presence in my life is invaluable, and I am deeply appreciate of your unwavering support.”
She concluded the message by saying, “World Championships was an absolute dream & I still can’t believe it.”
Biles also took to X (formerly Twitter), to repost a fan's message that read “Remember like five months ago we didn’t think Simone would ever compete again.”
“Real talk,” Biles responded with teary-eyed emojis, “I didn’t think so either.”
Finding out that the GOAT of gymnastics, Simone Biles, is fallible and human like the rest of us endeared her even more to fans. Now seeing her overcome her mental health struggles to reclaim her standing as the world's foremost gymnast is even sweeter.
