Simone’s legacy about more than her medals
After overcoming so many hurdles just to compete, multi-olympic champion is an inspiration
Considering everything Simone Biles has overcome in the past week – the dangerous mental block, the overwhelming pressure of being the face of Tokyo 2020 and a family bereavement – her Olympic bronze on beam must be one of the most stunning achievements of her career. She has ensured she has left a legacy that I do not think any gymnast will ever match.
Biles could easily have taken a flight home after that team final last week. She chose to stay, support her team-mates and commit to doing everything she could to compete. She is a massive inspiration, and that can be seen by the reaction to her.
I am sure she will be extremely proud of that bronze medal and it will carry so much meaning. She was out there to prove to herself that she could do it. Whether she got a medal or not, the fact that she was just back out there, after going through so much, was huge.
It was fitting as well that it was bronze. At Rio 2016 she also came third on the beam, and has since spoken about how that medal was never properly celebrated because people always expect her to get gold. But there is so much weight behind it this time that people can finally appreciate it.
When she pulled out of the team competition and described having the “twisties”, I thought, if she was going to do any piece, it would be beam. Her problem, losing control during her tumbling sequences, is extremely dangerous but does not affect anything other than her beam dismount.
Simone can do a double-twisting, double-back dismount, but she took out the twist yesterday. For
Simone, it was a step down, physically.
Mentally, though, it would have been hard for her to change her routine at late notice. Everything that she worked for over the past five years could have come crashing down, because her body is not in sync with her mind.
Watching all of the other individual finals would also have taken an emotional toll. So for her to finish on a high – she has still come away with two Olympic medals don’t forget – means there is so much to be proud of.
Biles has proved that you never know what is going on behind the scenes for athletes. After competing, she also revealed her aunt had unexpectedly passed away. I was so sorry to hear that, and can definitely relate.
When I found out about my brother Josh passing away earlier this year, I was in Cardiff for the Olympic trials. I felt like I was a million miles away from my family in Nottingham, so for Simone to be on the other side of the world, it must have been really hard.
Gymnastics helped me get through losing Josh. It has been an awful time, but you have to find your own way to deal with it, and
Biles could easily have flown home – but she chose to stay and support her team-mates
having gymnastics to put my focus into has been my way. I am sure she will have wanted to compete not just for herself, but for everyone back home.
There was so much pressure on her, but there was also nothing to lose when you think of all she has already achieved. She was coming out to enjoy the moment.
This week has really shown it is not just about medals when it comes to Simone Biles – it is what she brings to the sport, her personality and attitude. She has shown how much not giving up matters.
I do not think that will be the last we see of her at an Olympics either.
She will definitely be able to overcome the “twisties” and has previously said she would consider competing in Paris as a specialist. She has so much more to give if she wants to.
Nobody really knows what the future holds though, and if we did just witness her last Olympic performance then it was an incredible way to go out.