“Sick for Her”: Unfortunately Simone Biles Was Tagged ‘Quitter’ but Her Family Was Deeply Worried After Tokyo Olympics Withdrawal

2021 Tokyo Olympics – Cheers erupted at the Ariake Gymnastics Centre when Simone Biles stepped on the mat to perform the Amanar vault. But, the cheers in the arena soon hushed down when the 7x Olympic medalist lost her bearings in the air. She was only able to complete one-and-a-half twists, before stumbling out of her landing. “The world is going to hate me,” her intrinsic fears surfaced when she touched the ground. Citing the issue of “twisties,” when she walked out of the arena, critics called her “Quitter of the year.”

Amidst the noise of the disregards around, Simone was searching for comfort. Her next reaction – she called the home phone, to talk to her mother, Nellie Biles. “Mom, come pick me up. I’m scared,” said Biles on the phone call. “Are you okay?,” asked her mom in apprehension. Her family was worried, her fans were disheartened, and her then-boyfriend Jonathan Owens’ was concerned seeing the gymnast struggling through the mental health episode.

As he watched Biles leaving the Gymnastics Centre with her coach, Jonathan Owens was distraught. “I was sick for her, just because I can see her facial expressions, I can kind of read her lips and kind of know what was going on and kind of what she was telling her coach,” stated Owens in an interview with ESPN back in 2021. On the other hand, the gymnast’s parents were worried about their daughter’s overall well-being.

Simone Biles defined her parents’ sentiments about her Tokyo Olympics withdrawal on the ‘Call Her Daddy’ podcast aired on 17th April 2024. “My dad is always so calm and collected, it seems. So he was probably like, Oh, is she okay?,” stated Biles while giving details about her father, Ronald Biles’ reaction. She further added, “My mom was like, a mess. I could hear her crying and breaking down, and that’s what broke me, too.”

More so, she admitted that, at one point, the pressure became so intense that she couldn’t even bring herself to look at her coach, Laurent Landi. “I felt like I failed him,” conceded the 6x World champion. 

However, as she was navigating through the rough waters, the gymnast’s clan made sure to support her every step of the way. 

Simone Biles Rising – with friends, family, and fans!

While Jonathan Owens promised, “Imma ride with you through whatever baby,” Biles’ parents, friends, and family helped her immensely in her comeback journey. Next, we know – Simone Biles made a staunch comeback to finish her “unfinished business.”

It was in August 2023, when the 4x Olympic gold medalist donned her GK Elite leotard and marked her resurgence with the All-Around title at the 2023 US Core Hydration Classic. She then aced the most difficult vault, Yurchenko Double Pike, at the 2023 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships, and became the first woman in history to pull off the routine. This earned her the 6th All-Around World title. A dramatic comeback indeed!

To share with the world how she gave some stellar performances by leaving behind the turmoil of the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, the gymnast is now all set to tell her story through her four-part Netflix documentary – Simone Biles Rising. And, the trailer is out already.

Interestingly, in the trailer, Biles’ family and friends can be seen sharing anecdotes of how the gymnast coped with the challenges and found her way back to the vault. Commending his wife for an impressive comeback, the Chicago Bears’ safety said, “She’s bounced back, and she really opened my eyes.” 

Joining forces with Owens, Biles’ mom, and her 2016 Rio Olympics teammate Aly Raisman also shared their acclamations of how the gymnast managed to get back to the gym. “I wanted to quit like 500,000 times and I would’ve if it weren’t for my people,” acknowledged the 27-year-old while expressing her gratitude for her fans, friends and family. 

Certainly, Simone Biles came a long way. And, now, as she is all set to clinch another gold at the 2024 Paris Olympics, she asserted that she is not just back, but she is here to stay. After all, she conceded out loud, “I get to write my own ending.”