Legendary gymnast Simone Biles recently sat down for the latest episode of the “Call Her Daddy” podcast and recalled a troubling time in her career.
The most decorated athlete the sport has ever seen, with 37 world and Olympic gold medals, is speaking out about the huge pressure she felt at home and abroad when she withdrew from the team final at the Games in the summer of 2021.
Simone Biles withdrew from the gymnastics final at the Tokyo Olympics because she was suffering from a case of the “twisties,” and she later stated that she was afraid to go back to the States.
“If I could’ve got on a plane and flown home, I would’ve done it,” Biles said on the “Call Her Daddy” podcast.
“America hates me. The world is going to hate me. I can only see what they’re saying on Twitter right now,” she recalled feeling in an interview with on the “Call Her Daddy” podcast, which was provided exclusively to “TODAY.”
Biles added she felt like she let her country down even though she was doing what was best for her health.
“I thought I was going to be banned from America,” she said.
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The seven-time Olympic medalist recalled feeling a mind-body disconnect in the lead-up to the gymnastics events at the Summer Games. At the time, there was a ton of backlash towards Simone Biles, but there was way more support for her as many were finding out about the ‘twisties’ for the first time ever and how truly dangerous they can be.
“In training, I was having ‘twisties’ already,” Biles said.
“But I’m trying to push past that, and I would literally tell my teammates, ‘I’m fighting demons. I’m fighting demons right now, but I’m going to do it for you guys.’ The cords were not connected.”
The 27-year-old Biles ultimately stumbled in the vault competition before withdrawing from the team final.
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“So I open landed like that, and as soon as I land, I kind of grin and I’m like, ‘S–t,’ and I salute and I want to run,” the four-time Olympic gold medalist said.
Biles managed to compete in the beam final and take home the bronze medal, which was an achievement she rated as her most meaningful in a glittering Olympic career.
Simone Biles is Set To Hit The World Stage At The Paris Olympics
During last year’s world championships, Simone Biles won four gold medals. The 27-year-old could add to her medal haul at this year’s Olympics in Paris, which begin on July 26th.
Biles, who is the most decorated female gymnast of all time, will make her Olympics season debut next month at the U.S. Classic event in Connecticut.
Fans couldn’t be more thrilled to see her back and in a better place mentally.
Also Read: Social Media Is Losing Their Minds Over Simone Biles’ Outfit At Chargers-Packers Game (PIC)
