Simone Biles will compete in balance beam finals
The 24-year-old champion had withdrawn from four medal rounds earlier in the Tokyo Games to focus on her mental health
Artistic Gymnastics
Simone Biles will compete in Tuesday's (3 August) women's balance beam final, USA Gymnastics confirmed Monday (2 August). The balance beam final is the last medal round for women's artistic gymnastics at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.
"We are so excited to confirm that you will see two U.S. athletes in the balance beam final tomorrow - Suni Lee AND Simone Biles!!" read a statement from the U.S. federation. "Can’t wait to watch you both!"
Biles had qualified to all four of the apparatus finals, scheduled for 1-3 August but eventually withdrew from all but balance beam. Earlier in Tokyo, she withdrew from the team competition after getting lost in midair and from the all-around final entirely to focus on her mental health.
On her Instagram story Friday, Biles detailed her struggles in training with the “twisties,” a gymnastics term for when a gymnast’s body and mind seemingly stop working together.
"My mind and body are simply not in sync,” Biles wrote in one of her story slides. "For anyone saying I quit. I didn't quit.”
The 24-year-old also posted now deleted videos showing her getting lost in the air on two attempts at her uneven bars dismount, a double-twisting, double back.
Biles explained she had previously suffered from the phenomenon but only on floor and vault. Tokyo is the first time they have bled into another events.
“They're not fun to deal with," she said. "It's honestly petrifying trying to do a skill... not having your mind and body in sync.".