Simone Biles 'to focus on mental health' after disappointing day at Tokyo Games

Star gymnast uncertain if she will continue at Olympics as US lose women's team gold

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  US coach Laurent Landi comforts Simone Biles after she exited the team final at the Tokyo Games on Tuesday, July 27, 2021.

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  Jordan Chiles, Sunisa Lee, and Simone Biles of Team United States cheer as they head to floor exercise during the women's team final.

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  Simone Biles of Team United States is embraced by coach Cecile Landi.

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  USA's Simone Biles is seen prior to the vault event of the artistic gymnastics women's team final.

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  USA's Simone Biles talks to teammates during the artistic gymnastics women's team final.

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  USA's Simone Biles and teammates react during the vault event of the artistic gymnastics women's team final.

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  Simone Biles of Team United States stumbles upon landing after competing in vault during the women's team final.

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  USA's Simone Biles speaks with her teammates during the artistic gymnastics women's team final.

Simone Biles' Tokyo Olympics future was in doubt on Tuesday when she dropped out of the women's team final after one vault as Team USA surrendered the gold.

Following a poor performance that saw her exit the evening's competition, Biles said she was unsure whether she would compete in the women's all-around event on Thursday.

"After the performance I did I just didn't want to go on," Biles said. "We are going to see about Thursday. I'm just trying to gear up for the next test."

After a disappointing attempt in the first rotation, the American was shown as an 'R' on the competitor list before the bars began. Leaving the floor with the team doctor, Biles then returned several minutes later. She took off her bar grips and then hugged teammates Grace McCallum, Sunisa Lee and Jordan Chiles before putting on her tracksuit. Chiles replaced Biles on uneven bars and balance beam.

USA Gymnastics did not specify the nature of Biles’s medical issue, saying in a statement she “will be assessed daily to determine medical clearance for future competitions".

The star gymnast said there are bigger issues at hand. "I do not trust myself anymore," Biles said. "I tried to go out there for the team and they stepped up to the plate. I have to focus on my mental health."

Biles had been leading the US defence of their women's gymnastics team title and was aiming to add to her haul of four gold medals won at the 2016 Rio Olympics.

However, the Russian Olympic Committee won the gold medal on Tuesday. The Russian gymnasts posted a team score of 169.528, ahead of the US in second place at 166.096. The gold is the first for the Russians since the unified team triumphed in Barcelona in 1992. It came a day after the ROC men’s team edged out Japan for the top spot in the men’s final.

Biles' bid did not get off to a great start, with a disappointing score of 13.766 on the vault in the first rotation. All three ROC players who vaulted scored higher, as did her US teammates.

Winning the six golds on offer in Japan would have lifted Biles to 10 – one more than Russian gymnast Larisa Latynina’s women’s record of nine gold medals won over three Olympic Games: Melbourne 1956, Rome 1960 and Tokyo 1964.

It would also have marked the most gold medals won by any woman in any Olympic sport.

Only Michael Phelps, with his 23 swimming golds, has won more.

After the qualifying rounds, Biles shared her thoughts on struggling with the pressure placed on her, writing in a social media post that "the Olympics is no joke".