Simone Biles' Olympic Stumble Isn't the Real Reason She Withdrew From the Games

One of the biggest shining stars in the crop of U.S. athletes who headed to Japan for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics is inarguably gymnast Simone Biles. The 24-year-old has been making waves in her sport for quite some time and has amassed quite a following on social media thanks to her incredible skills on the mat.

However, something happened during Simone's routine at the Olympics that resulted in that goal of gold not manifesting for her, dealing a serious blow to herself, her team, and the nation rooting for her success. So, is Simone hurt? Furthermore, what details do we know about the situation that caused her to withdraw from the competition? Keep reading to find out.

Simone's rise to athletic superstardom has been well-documented, and virtually all of her fans were aware of her ambitions to win in gymnastics for herself and her country. Sadly, Simone's encountered a "medical issue" that forced her to step down from the team finals.

"She will be assessed daily to determine medical clearance for future competitions," team doctors told the press.

While concluding her routine, Simone noticeably stumbled, drawing concern from viewers.

Moments later, she huddled with a trainer and promptly exited the stadium, returning shortly after with her right leg wrapped, indicative that something had gone wrong.

Teammate Jordan Chiles replaced Simone for the remainder of the competition, and in its final moments, Team USA fell just short of the gold medal, which ended up going to the ROC athletes.

All signs seemed to point to the fact that Simone's alleged injury was a result of the final vault that she did as part of her routine, however, some new clarification reveals that the issue wasn't physical, but mental.

Indeed, although fans may have witnessed a shaky landing by the young gymnast extraordinaire, reports have emerged that the reason behind her withdrawal had to do with her mental state.

During an interview with Hoda Kotb after the dust settled from her withdrawal, Simone explained, "Physically, I feel good, I'm in shape. Emotionally, that kind of varies on the time and moment. Coming here to the Olympics and being the head star isn't an easy feat, so we're just trying to take it one day at a time and we'll see."

On the potential for her to compete on July 29, 2021, in the all-around competition, Simone said, "We're going to take it day by day, and we're just gonna see." Simone did not end up competing in the all-around competition, but did rejoin the roster for the balance beam competition, for which she won the bronze medal.

Beyond her television appearance, Simone took to social media to reflect on her mental state and the immense weight and pressure of being not only an Olympian but the best in her sport.

"It wasn’t an easy day or my best but I got through it. I truly do feel like I have the weight of the world on my shoulders at times," she wrote.

Simone concluded her message by saying, "I know I brush it off and make it seem like pressure doesn’t affect me but damn sometimes it’s hard hahaha! The Olympics is no joke! BUT I’m happy my family was able to be with me virtually, they mean the world to me!"

After the medal ceremony, Simone took to social media to congratulate her fellow teammates on a job well done. "I’m SO proud of these girls right here," she captioned a picture of herself with teammates Sunisa Lee, Grace McCallum, and Jordan Chiles. "You girls are incredibly brave and talented! I’ll forever be inspired by your determination to not give up and to fight through adversity! They stepped up when I couldn’t. thanks for being there for me and having my back! forever love y’all."

We wish Simone a speedy recovery as well as a full and prompt return to doing what she loves most!