Beautiful Virgin Islands

Saturday, Mar 14, 2026

Simone Biles Said Putting Her Mental Health First At The Olympics Will Likely Be One Of Her "Greatest Accomplishments"

Simone Biles Said Putting Her Mental Health First At The Olympics Will Likely Be One Of Her "Greatest Accomplishments"

"To have mental health be talked about more in sports is really nice because at the end of the day, we are humans before athletes," Biles said.

Simone Biles said that her decision to withdraw from several events at the Olympics to focus on her mental health will likely go down as one of her "greatest accomplishments."

Biles reflected on her experience in Tokyo during a Zoom call Saturday with President Joe Biden, first lady Jill Biden, and fellow Team USA athletes.

"The Olympics was not how I expected it to go, but putting my mental and my physical health first will probably be one of my greatest accomplishments," Biles said.


Speaking from his home in Delaware, the president congratulated the Olympic athletes for their performance. He also thanked them for representing the US in the Summer Games, saying they made him and the country proud.

"When you get knocked down by an opponent on track and you stop and go back and pick him up and walk to the finish line with him, c’mon. That’s what America’s supposed to be about," Biden said, referring to the moment US runner Isaiah Jewett and Nijel Amos of Botswana fell during the 800-meter race, then helped each other up and jogged to the finish line together.

Isaiah Jewett of the US and Nijel Amos of Botswana


"You represented every single thing that we stand for," Biden added. "You really did."

The president also specifically called out swimmer Katie Ledecky and Biles for the courage they showed while under so much "psychological pressure."

Jewett and Biles then shared their reflections on the difficult moments they faced during the competition.

"At the end of the day, we’re all people and we all go through the same nervousness, and we all go through the same pains, so might as well finish what we started," Jewett said.

Biles, who left in the middle of the gymnastics team final and backed out of the individual all-around competition to focus on her mental health, said that earlier in her career, she would probably have been "too stubborn" to take a step back. The 24-year-old added that she was proud of the way her teammates handled her withdrawal during the team final.

"To have mental health be talked about more in sports is really nice because at the end of the day, we are humans before athletes," she said.

After missing several events, Biles — the most decorated gymnast in the world — returned to the competition Tuesday for the balance beam final and won the bronze medal.

Biden said Biles' choice to prioritize her mental health on the biggest stage in the world set an important example for so many people — not just athletes.

"And guess what? You got back up on that damn beam," the president said before joking about his own athleticism. "I tell you what — doing a flip on a 4-inch beam is my idea of going to purgatory. I'd try most anything else before I’d try that."

Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
Weak Growth Signals UK Economy Was Faltering Even Before Middle East Energy Shock
Marks & Spencer Tops UK Fashion Retail Rankings as Most Considered Brand
United States Launches Trade Investigation Into Allies Over Forced Labour Practices
United States Launches Trade Investigation Into Allies Over Forced Labour Practices
Russia Accuses Britain Over Storm Shadow Strike as London Reaffirms Ukraine’s Right to Self-Defence
Russia Accuses Britain Over Storm Shadow Strike as London Reaffirms Ukraine’s Right to Self-Defence
Royal Navy to Acquire Twenty Uncrewed Surface Vessels for Autonomous Warfare Testing
Russia Summons British and French Envoys After Ukrainian Storm Shadow Strike on Strategic Facility
Starmer Confirms Britain Will Maintain Sanctions on Russia Despite U.S. Policy Shift
UK Moves to Refine AI Definition in Investment Security Reform
UK Economy Stalls in January as Growth Unexpectedly Falls to Zero
Asian Energy Security Tested as Strait of Hormuz Disruption Threatens Oil Supplies
Iran Sets Three Conditions for Ending Regional War as Diplomatic Efforts Intensify
Tesla Secures Approval to Supply Electricity Directly to Homes Across Britain
Prince William Delivers Tribute to Australia’s Naval Alliance Amid Renewed Royal Spotlight on the Country
UK Foreign Secretary Travels to Saudi Arabia to Reinforce Support for Regional Allies
Putin’s ‘Hidden Hand’ May Be Assisting Iran in Conflict With Trump, UK Defence Secretary Warns
UK Sets April Deadline for Tech Platforms to Strengthen Online Protections for Children
Elon Musk Moves Into Britain’s Energy Market as Tesla Wins Licence to Supply Power
UK Watchdog Warns Fuel Retailers Against Profiteering Amid Iran War Price Surge
Report Claims Iran Used UK Charity Network to Expand Influence
United States and United Kingdom Establish Joint Standards for Counter-Drone Technology
Iran May Be Laying Naval Mines in Strait of Hormuz, UK Warns Amid Escalating Gulf Tensions
US Deploys Bunker-Buster Bombs to UK Airbase as Iran Conflict Intensifies
British Troops in Iraq Intercept Iranian Drones Targeting Coalition Base
Release of Mandelson Files Raises Tensions as UK Seeks Stable Relations With Donald Trump
UK Documents Reveal Starmer Was Warned About Mandelson’s Epstein Links Before Ambassador Appointment
Nearly Five Hundred UK Mortgage Deals Withdrawn in Two Days as Market Volatility Forces Lenders to Reprice
Three Cargo Ships Hit Near Iran as Attacks Spread to Strategic Strait of Hormuz
Why British Police Repeatedly Declined to Investigate Jeffrey Epstein’s UK Links
UK Parliament Ends Hereditary Seats in House of Lords, Closing Chapter on Centuries of Aristocratic Lawmaking
EU and UK Urge Israel to Act Against Rising West Bank Settler Violence Amid Regional Tensions
US Senator John Kennedy Says Keir Starmer Should Not Be Trusted for Military Advice Amid Iran War Debate
UK High Court Rejects Attempt to Revive Terrorism Charge Against Kneecap Rapper
Revolut Secures Full UK Banking Licence After Multi-Year Regulatory Wait
Kentucky’s Bench Boost Powers Wildcats Past LSU in SEC Tournament Opener
British Couple Die After Being Pulled From Water at Australian Beach During Family Visit
British Airways Suspends UK Repatriation Flights as Middle East Travel Disruption Deepens
US Forces Prepare Ordnance at RAF Fairford as Strategic Bombers Deploy for Middle East Operations
Nigel Farage Faces Criticism After Saying Britain Should Stay Out of Iran War
Landmark UK Trial Begins Over Sony’s PlayStation Store Pricing
UK High Court Rejects Bid to Challenge Britain’s Chagos Islands Agreement With Mauritius
Finnish Duo Triumphs in England’s Annual Wife-Carrying Race, Winning a Barrel of Ale
How U.S. and UK National Security Strategies Are Reshaping the Global Business Landscape
Green Party Gains Momentum as Labour Shifts Toward the Political Centre
Royal Navy Destroyer HMS Dragon Sets Sail for Eastern Mediterranean as Regional Tensions Rise
UK Homebuilder Persimmon Warns Iran Conflict Could Dent Property Buyer Confidence
Roman Abramovich Signals Legal Fight if UK Seeks to Seize Chelsea Sale Funds
UK Ready to Back Emergency Oil Reserve Release as Middle East Conflict Pushes Prices Higher
Study of 40,000 Articles Sparks Debate Over Alleged Anti-Muslim Bias in UK Media
×