Snagging the title of the most decorated American gymnast in history, Simone Biles (26) recently defied all odds at the World Artistic Gymnastics Championship in Antwerp, Belgium. The gymnast had pulled out of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic games to take care of her mental health after a shaky dismount.
In regard to her withdrawal, she stated, “I’ll usually persevere and push through things, but not to cost the team a medal… We’re not just athletes. We’re people at the end of the day and sometimes you just have to step back.”
Her team left Tokyo with silver medals, while she took the time to take care of her mind and body. For many, that may have marked the end of the story. A gymnast’s career often ends by their early twenties, with the physical strain of the sport being too much for the human body to endure as it ages. But little did her future competition know she’d spent the time preparing for a comeback. She appeared in the U.S. Gymnastics Championships at the SAP Center with a mission.
A 15.4 during her floor routine that Sunday stapled her 8th national all-around title, the first American gymnast to do so in the history of the sport. Post performance, she emphasized that she is most certainly not done yet, and she plans to reappear in the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. Stay tuned.