Simone Biles Will Compete in the Balance Beam Final of the Tokyo Olympics
Simone Biles will be a balance beam finalist at the Tokyo Olympics on August 3 after withdrawing from four events last week due to mental health reasons.
The official USA Gymnastics account tweeted on August 2 that both the 2020 Olympic all-around champion Suni Lee and 2016 all-around champion Simone Biles will compete in the balance beam final on August 3.
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!! Can’t wait to watch you both!
— USA Gymnastics (@USAGym) August 2, 2021
Team USA also wrote on Instagram, “She’s back,” and showed Biles beautifully posing in her leotard.
Per Variety, the news comes after Biles pulled out of four individual event finals last week- the all-around, vault, floor exercise, and uneven bars. She also withdrew from the team final on July 27 after not performing at her best on the vault. The gymnast revealed that she was struggling with her mental health and air awareness. Biles tweeted her gratitude to her friends, family, and fans for understanding her struggle.
the outpouring love & support I’ve received has made me realize I’m more than my accomplishments and gymnastics which I never truly believed before. 🤍
— Simone Biles (@Simone_Biles) July 29, 2021
Although Biles was struggling mentally, she still used her positive energy to support her teammates’ accomplishments.
Team USA, comprised of Suni Lee, Jordan Chiles, Grace McCallum, and Biles became the Olympic silver medalists. Biles thanked her teammates for supporting her and allowing her to focus on her mental health. She wrote on Instagram, “I’m SO proud of these girls right here. 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.”
Fans tweeted their excitement and support for Biles’ upcoming performance.
All I want is for @Simone_Biles to take home gold on beam – not only to show that the comeback is always greater than the setback but also to tell thousands of obese white men at home to shove it.#OlympicGames
— Anthony AV (@UnorthodoxPop) August 2, 2021
Dear Lord,
— Dr. Lee-Ann Stephens (@MNTOY2006) August 2, 2021
Please give @Simone_Biles a clear mind as she prepares to compete on the beam. Let her drown out any distractions and focus on her technique. Keep her safe from any injury. 🙏🏾
Prayers and best of luck to @Simone_Biles competing on beam tomorrow. You are already a super star and your focus on mental health shows just how strong you are.
— Stef Lawton (@stefania615) August 2, 2021
So excited to see Simone Biles on the balance beam 😭🤩
— _ (@tocabocuv) August 2, 2021
“She’s back!”
— Chris Jansing (@ChrisJansing) August 2, 2021
The official insta-post announcing that Simone Biles will compete in the balance beam – and can’t say enough – a decision made in her own time, on her own terms. Health first.
Be sure to watch the Tokyo Olympic Games on NBC and keep up with the latest Olympic news. As always, support Simone Biles on Instagram and Twitter.
