On the TunneySide of Sports August 2, 2021 #859 Up next… Simone Biles and The Olympics
After further review… When Simone Biles suddenly withdrew from her gymnastics competition in the Tokyo Olympics, it was a shock to everyone. Biles had done so well in the qualifying that it came as a big surprise. Biles, along with Sunisa Lee, were expected to lead the U.S. in defeating the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) once again. Let’s discuss that issue now.
Incidentally, when the name ROC appears, it is because the IOC (International Olympic Committee) has found that many Russian competitors were using illegal substances to enhance their performances. The IOC allowed only those Russians who were determined “clean.”
It has always been my understanding that the Modern Olympics (from 1896) was competition on an individual basis, not country vs. country. I’m not sure when the country competition started, but it seems here that it was the media, both written and electronic, that promoted it and still does today.
It is the judgment here that Biles made the correct decision, as difficult as it surely was, to withdraw. It has been reported that during a warmup trail jump on the vault, Biles lost her focus while in midair. She had run full speed, hit the springboard, put her hands on the horse and vaulted upward to complete her routine (which she had practiced hundreds of times). While in midair (some 10-12 feet) and was doing a 1 &1/2 full twist with one somersault. She suddenly realized she was supposed to be doing a 2 &1/2.
Wow! Can you imagine what was going through her head at that speed and that height with no way to correct her misjudgment? Biles realized right then she was not mentally ready for what was to come, even though she had performed that routine successfully many times. There’s more to it.
Incidentally, the next day, Sunisa Lee went on to win the All-Around and take the Gold.
Arguably Biles was the “face of the 2020 games,” as Michael Phelps and Usain Bolt had been in earlier games, Biles was overwhelmed. She felt that weight on her shoulders. Was the constant use of G.O.A.T too much to handle? Perhaps it was the absence of fans, including her parents not being in the stands. They had always given her the support that she was missing. It is impossible to look inside her mind.
Will you excuse Biles for her decision to quit so abruptly?
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