Simone Biles’ hopes of winning a third straight Olympic gold medal in the gymnastic team event was cut short after he withdraws from the event, citing health challenges.
Biles says mental health concerns prompted her to pull out of the U.S. team’s much-anticipated showdown with Russia on Tuesday.
Afterward, she amplified her comments from one day earlier, when she acknowledged that the immense pressure she faces has been affecting her.
“It’s been really stressful, this Olympic Games,” Biles said, noting the unusual conditions in Tokyo, where the public can’t attend competitions.
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“It’s been a long week, it’s been a long Olympic process, it’s been a long year,” she added.
“I think we’re just a little bit too stressed out,” she said. “But we should be out here having fun — and sometimes that’s not the case.”
The U.S. women drew on their depth and talent to claim silver in the final. But the team — with Biles wearing white warmups instead of a competition leotard — also watched its decade-long reign of dominance come to an end.
