'Still our GOAT': Social media reacts to Simone Biles pulling out of team competition
- Oops!Something went wrong.Please try again later.
- Oops!Something went wrong.Please try again later.
Simone Biles wrote Monday on Instagram, "I truly do feel like I have the weight of the world on my shoulders at times" and "the olympics is no joke!"
The next day, the U.S. gymnastics superstar pulled herself out of the team competition at the Tokyo Olympics, citing her mental health and saying she did not want to hurt herself or put her teammates' medal dreams at risk by continuing to compete.
Biles later told reporters she made the decision after a vault during which “I had no idea where I was in the air.”
“We want to walk out of here, not be dragged out of here on a stretcher or anything,” she said. “After that vault I was, ‘I’m not in the right headspace. I’m not going to lose a medal for this country and these girls because they worked way too hard for me to go out there and have them lose a medal.’"
Teammates Sunisa Lee, Jordan Chiles and Grace McCallum finished the competition and helped the U.S. claim the silver medal. The Russian Olympic Committee took the gold, and Britain earned bronze.
Biles returned to Instagram to post a photo of herself and her teammates posing with their silver medals.
"I’m SO proud of these girls right here," Biles wrote. "You girls are incredibly brave & 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."
Many others from the gymnastics world and beyond took to social media to express their support for Biles and the U.S. team.
🤍
— Simone Biles (@Simone_Biles) July 27, 2021
Sending so much support to @Simone_Biles rn. It's hard to imagine all the pressure she's feeling. The weight of the world can be heavy, so I hope she knows we all love her and are so proud of her.
— Samantha Peszek (@samanthapeszek) July 27, 2021
Love you @Simone_Biles
— Alexandra Raisman (@Aly_Raisman) July 27, 2021
Sending love to you @Simone_Biles 🐐❤️-Team UNITED States of America 🇺🇸
— Kerri Strug (@kerristrug96) July 27, 2021
Don’t know about you but I think @Simone_Biles just empowered everyone to put their mental well-being above everything else. WHAT A QUEEN. GOAT in more ways than one. ♥️
— Danusia Francis (@danusiafrancis) July 27, 2021
I’m so so proud of our girls for fighting to the very end. Each one of them is gold in my eyes. We are all human… Can’t imagine what Simone is going through. She deserves all the support in the world right now. And still our GOAT!!! 🐐❤️🏆
— MyKayla Skinner (Harmer) (@mykaylaskinner) July 27, 2021
this a massive year in sports history for a light to be shed on mental health.
— Katelyn Ohashi (@katelyn_ohashi) July 27, 2021
Mental health matters. You often can’t see the struggle and so it’s hard to understand. Gymnastics is dangerous, especially when you don’t feel clear in your mind.
I’m proud of @Simone_Biles for recognizing her limits and I wish her the best as she overcomes this challenge.— Kyle Shewfelt (@kyleshew) July 27, 2021
If anyone says a silver medal at the Olympics isn’t enough, come step outside I just wanna talk.
— Danell Johan Leyva (@DanellJLeyva) July 27, 2021
So so proud of Team USA today! It's not easy to fight through adversity. Love the way that everyone stepped up. ❤️
— Samantha Peszek (@samanthapeszek) July 27, 2021
To Team USA, you showed an incredible amount of grit and fight. You are the essence of what it means to step up and be a team player- switching roles, cheering for each other, and the epitome of classy sportsmanship. We're all so proud of you! #Tokoyo2020 #TeamUSA
— Samantha Peszek (@samanthapeszek) July 27, 2021
we need to talk about the amount of pressure on these three ladies. what an AWESOME bar rotation!!absolutely smashed it. and jordan??? ok miss underdog you show em what you can do
— Laurie Hernandez (@LaurieHernandez) July 27, 2021
Someone said it best. @Simone_Biles already won. She is a class act. Withdrew from team competion after vault... stayed and cheered on her teammates... got them chalk for their hands.. encouraged.. hugged them. She already won. Congrats on the silver medal! @TeamUSA @USAGym
— Hoda Kotb (@hodakotb) July 27, 2021
Once a champion, always a champion. God Bless @Simone_Biles.
— Manny Pacquiao (@MannyPacquiao) July 27, 2021
Los Angeles Times staff writers Helene Elliott, Thuc Nhi Nguyen and Chuck Schilken contributed to this report.
This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.