Current:Home > NewsSimone Biles thought 'world is going to hate me' after she left team final at Tokyo Games -MoneyMatrix
Simone Biles thought 'world is going to hate me' after she left team final at Tokyo Games
View
Date:2025-04-14 00:15:13
Decorated gymnast Simone Biles thought "the world is going to hate me" when she withdrew from the team final at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics after experiencing the "twisties."
The four-time Olympic gold medalist revealed what was going through her mind in the 2020 Summer Olympics on an episode of the "Call Her Daddy" podcast posted on Wednesday. When she realized she had the "twisties," best described as when a gymnast can't comprehend what their body is trying to do and is unable to execute moves, Biles thought she would be heavily criticized by her home country.
"If I could have got on a plane and flown home, I would have done it," Biles said. "As soon as I landed (the vault), I was like, 'Oh, America hates me.' The world is going to hate me. And I can only see what they're saying on Twitter right now. That was my first thought.
"I thought I was gonna be banned from America. Because that's what they tell you; don't come back. If it's not gold, gold or bust, don't come back."
Biles was replaced by Jordan Chiles in the team event, where the U.S. won silver. Biles won the bronze medal in the balance beam before stepping away from gymnastics for a time. She also detailed what it's like to experience the "twisties," comparing them to the "yips" in baseball or suddenly forgetting how to drive a car.
"It's basically like your mind and your body is at a disconnect. Your body is going to try to do something and your mind is going to be like, 'No, you're not doing this,' " Biles said. "You've been doing something for so long, and you now no longer have control.
"I go to tell my coach, and I said 'I'm done. I'm not doing any more.' Because if I survive that, I don't know how much else I can survive."
Biles has returned to excellence in gymnastics. In October, Biles won her 33rd medal at the world championships and Olympics, tying Vitaly Scherbo for most by any gymnast, and she will be going for more at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
veryGood! (2)
Related
- A White House order claims to end 'censorship.' What does that mean?
- Watchdog who criticized NYPD’s handling of officer discipline resigns
- Blake Lively and Gigi Hadid Are Simply the Perfect Match With Deadpool & Wolverine After-Party Looks
- A look at Kamala Harris' work on foreign policy as vice president
- 'Malcolm in the Middle’ to return with new episodes featuring Frankie Muniz
- The Bear Fans Spot Season 3 Editing Error About Richie's Marriage
- The Simpsons writer comments on Kamala Harris predictions: I'm proud
- 2022 model Jeep and Ram vehicles under investigation by feds after multiple safety complaints
- Woman dies after Singapore family of 3 gets into accident in Taiwan
- Delta cancels hundreds more flights as fallout from CrowdStrike outage persists
Ranking
- Former Danish minister for Greenland discusses Trump's push to acquire island
- Israel shoots down missile fired from Yemen after deadly Israeli strike on Houthi rebels
- As doctors leave Puerto Rico in droves, a rapper tries to fill the gaps
- Israel shoots down missile fired from Yemen after deadly Israeli strike on Houthi rebels
- Residents worried after ceiling cracks appear following reroofing works at Jalan Tenaga HDB blocks
- How Benny Blanco Celebrated Hottest Chick Selena Gomez on 32nd Birthday
- New Mexico village battered by wildfires in June now digging out from another round of flooding
- Instagram is rolling out changes to Notes. Here's what to know
Recommendation
San Francisco names street for Associated Press photographer who captured the iconic Iwo Jima photo
Off the Grid: Sally breaks down USA TODAY's daily crossword puzzle, Middle America
Tyson Campbell, Jaguars agree to four-year, $76.5 million contract extension, per report
Conservatives use shooting at Trump rally to attack DEI efforts at Secret Service
Juan Soto praise of Mets' future a tough sight for Yankees, but World Series goal remains
McDonald's $5 meal deal will be sticking around for longer this summer: Report
Israel shoots down missile fired from Yemen after deadly Israeli strike on Houthi rebels
Dan Aykroyd revisits the Blues Brothers’ remarkable legacy in new Audible Original