Beautiful Virgin Islands

Saturday, Feb 22, 2025

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
Good News: Senate Confirms Kash Patel as FBI Director
Officials from the U.S. and Hungary Engage in Talks on Economic Collaboration and Sanctions Strategy
James Bond Franchise Transitions to Amazon MGM Studios
Technology Giants Ramp Up Lobbying Initiatives Against Strict EU Regulations
Alibaba Exceeds Quarterly Projections Fueled by Growth in Cloud and AI
Tequila Sector Faces Surplus Crisis as Agave Prices Dive Sharply
Residents of Flintshire Mobile Home Park Grapple with Maintenance Issues and Uncertain Future
Ronan Keating Criticizes Irish Justice System Following Fatal Crash Involving His Brother
Gordon Ramsay's Lucky Cat Restaurant Faces Unprecedented Theft
Israeli Family Mourns Loss of Peace Advocate Oded Lifschitz as Body Returned from Gaza
Former UK Defense Chief Calls for Enhanced European Support for Ukraine
Pope Francis Admitted to Hospital in Rome Amid Rising Succession Speculation
Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, at the age of 83, Declares His Retirement.
Whistleblower Reveals Whitehall’s Focus on Kabul Animal Airlift Amid Crisis
Politicians Who Deliberately Lie Could Face Removal from Office in Wales
Scottish Labour Faces Challenges Ahead of 2026 Holyrood Elections
Leftwing Activists Less Likely to Work with Political Rivals, Study Finds
Boris Johnson to Host 'An Evening with Boris Johnson' at Edinburgh's Usher Hall
Planned Change in British Citizenship Rules Faces First Legal Challenge
Northumberland Postal Worker Sentenced for Sexual Assaults During Deliveries
British Journalist Missing in Brazil for 11 Days
Tesco Fixes Website Glitch That Disrupted Online Grocery Orders
Amnesty International Critiques UK's Predictive Policing Practices
Burglar Jailed After Falling into Home-Made Trap in Blyth
Sellafield Nuclear Site Exits Special Measures for Physical Security Amid Ongoing Cybersecurity Concerns
Avian Influenza Impact on Seals in Norfolk: Four Deaths Confirmed
First Arrest Under Scotland's Abortion Clinic Buffer Zone Law Amidst International Controversy
Meghan Markle Rebrands Lifestyle Venture as 'As Ever' Ahead of Netflix Series Launch
Inter-Island Ferry Services Between Guernsey and Jersey Set to Expand
Significant Proportion of Cancer Patients in England and Wales Not Receiving Recommended Treatments
Final Consultation Launched for Vyrnwy Frankton Power Line Project
Drug Misuse Deaths in Scotland Rise by 12% in 2023
Failed £100 Million Cocaine Smuggling Operation in the Scottish Highlands
Central Cee Equals MOBO Awards Record; Bashy and Ayra Starr Among Top Honorees
EastEnders: Four Decades of Challenging Social Norms
Jonathan Bailey Channels 'Succession' in Bold Richard II Performance
Northern Ireland's First Astronaut Engages in Rigorous Spacewalk Training
Former Postman Sentenced for Series of Sexual Offences in Northumberland
Record Surge in Anti-Muslim Hate Crimes Across the UK in 2024
Omagh Bombing Inquiry Concludes Commemorative Hearings with Survivor Testimonies
UK Government Introduces 'Ronan's Law' to Combat Online Knife Sales to Minors
Metal Detectorists Unearth 15th-Century Coin Hoard in Scottish Borders
Woman Charged in 1978 Death of Five-Year-Old Girl in South London
Expanding Sinkhole in Godstone, Surrey, Forces Evacuations and Road Closures
Bangor University Announces Plans to Cut 200 Jobs Amid £15 Million Savings Target
British Journalist Charlotte Peet Reported Missing in Brazil
UK Inflation Rises to 3% in January Amid Higher Food Prices and School Fees
Starmer Defends Zelensky Amidst Trump's 'Dictator' Allegation
Zelensky Calls on World Leaders to Back Peace Efforts in Light of Strains with Trump
UK Prime minister, Mr. Keir Starmer, has stated that any peace agreement aimed at ending the conflict in Ukraine "MUST" include a US security guarantee to deter Russian aggression
×