Simone Biles pulls out of Olympic all-around title defense

TOKYO, Japan -- Simone Biles abandoned the defense of her individual all-around Olympic crown on Wednesday, a day after her shock withdrawal from the women's team final over mental health concerns. 

As a worldwide outpouring of support for the troubled US gymnastics superstar grew, a statement from USA Gymnastics confirmed that Biles would not take part in Thursday's all-around final.

The 24-year-old 2016 Olympic all-around gold medallist's participation in the four individual event finals starting on Sunday will be decided after further evaluation, USAG said.

"Simone Biles has withdrawn from the final individual all-around competition at the Tokyo Olympic Games in order to focus on her mental health," USAG said in a statement.

"Simone will continue to be evaluated daily to determine whether or not to participate in next week's individual event finals.

"We wholeheartedly support Simone's decision and applaud her bravery in prioritising her well-being. Her courage shows, yet again, why she is a role model for so many."

The decision marks a stunning turn of events for Biles, who had been widely expected to crown the greatest career in gymnastics history with another multiple haul of gold medals in Tokyo.

The diminutive Texan, winner of four gold medals at the 2016 Rio Olympics, was vying for a potential six golds in Japan.

- Game-changing moment -

However her campaign unraveled on Tuesday when she suddenly withdrew from the team final after an uncharacteristically shaky display on the opening vault. Biles later said she had pulled out of the final out of concern for her mental well-being.

"I have to focus on my mental health," Biles said. "I didn't want to go out and do something stupid and get hurt... At the end of the day we don't want to be carried out of there on a stretcher."

Biles' decision has been hailed as a game-changing moment for elite sport, helping to dispel enduring stigmas surrounding mental health.

Biles told US Olympic broadcaster NBC television late Tuesday she would assess her readiness to compete on a "day-by-day" basis.

"Physically, I feel good, I'm in shape," she said on NBC television's Today program. "We're going to take it day by day, and we're just gonna see." 

As Biles reflected on her shattered Olympic dreams, she drew broad support from athletes, officials and public figures.

"Simone, you've made us so proud. Proud of who you are as a person, teammate and athlete," said Sarah Hirshland, US Olympic and Paralympic Committee chief executive officer.

"We applaud your decision to prioritize your mental wellness over all else and offer you the full support and resources of our Team USA community as you navigate the journey ahead."

- Obama support, Phelps concern -

Former US first lady Michelle Obama tweeted: "Am I good enough? Yes, I am. The mantra I practice daily. @Simone_Biles , we are proud of you and we are rooting for you."

Two-time Olympic Alpine ski champion Mikaela Shiffrin offered support as well, tweeting: "@Simone_Biles keep whipping out that smile of yours cause it is undeniably golden. Always."

US swimming and Olympic legend Michael Phelps, who in 2018 revealed his own struggles with depression and suicidal thoughts following the 2012 Olympics, said watching Biles struggle on Tuesday "broke my heart."

Phelps told NBC the Olympics could be overwhelming for athletes, and that he had often struggled to find support during his own career.

"The biggest thing is we all need to ask for help sometimes too when we go through those times," Phelps said. "For me, I can say personally it was something very challenging. It was hard for me to ask for help."

Biles's former USA teammate Aly Raisman spoke of her concerns for her friend's wellbeing.

"I know that all of these athletes dream of this moment for their whole entire lives, and so I'm just completely devastated," Raisman told NBC. 

"I am obviously so worried and just hoping that Simone is OK."

Raisman and Biles were among the gymnasts abused by former US team doctor Larry Nassar, who was jailed in 2018 for sexual abuse.

"It's just so much pressure, and I've been watching how much pressure has been on her in the months leading up to the Games, and it's just devastating. I feel horrible," Raisman added.

Agence France-Presse

Simone Biles returns to competition with historic vault

LOS ANGELES -- US gymnastics superstar Simone Biles returned to competition with a bang Saturday, completing an historic vault to launch her final run to the Tokyo Olympics.

The five-time Olympic gold medallist, who hadn't competed since winning five golds, including a fifth all-around title, at the 2019 World Championships, delivered on the vault she's been preparing -- a Yurchenko double pike -- at the US Classic in Indianapolis, Indiana.

The vault, featuring a roundoff onto the springboard and back handspring into a piked double backflip, had never before been done in women's competition.

Biles sailed through it with so much power that she over-rotated slightly and stepped back on the landing.

"I was just thinking, do it like training," she said of her mindset as she took off down the runway.

"Don't try to overdo anything, because I have a tendency as soon as I raise my hand to kind of overpower things. I did a little bit, but at least I still was on my feet and it's a new vault."

Posts of Biles completing the vault in practice had set social media sites buzzing. NBA superstar LeBron James had retweeted a video of Biles landing it.

"It's nice to see all the support," Biles said, adding that she was "feeling confident" heading into the US championships June 3-6.

They'll be followed by the US Olympic Trials June 24-27, where the top two finishers will book Tokyo berths, along with two other gymnasts named by USA Gymnastics selectors.

Biles wasn't perfect on Saturday. In addition to her step back on the vault landing she had a bobble on her floor routine and on the asymmetrical bars.

But she won the all-around competition with a score of 58.400, with Jordan Chiles second on 57.100 points and Kayla DiCello third on 56.100.

"I'm just happy to be back out here on the competition floor in an arena with all of the girls, especially after the long year and time off we've had," Biles said.

Agence France-Presse

Local favorite Carlos Yulo strikes gold in SEA Games artistic gymnastics

MANILA, Philippines — World champion Carlos Yulo clinched yet another gold medal for the Philippines after starring in the artistic gymnastics all-around event in the 30th Southeast Games on Sunday.

Off a tantalizing horizontal bar routine, the gymnast led with 14.650 points in the floor exercise and scored 13.600 total points in the pommel horse to clinch the gold at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum.


Yulo previously took the global stage by storm after running away with the gold in the 49th FIG Artistic Gymnastics World Championships in Stuttgart, Germany. The win made him the first Filipino world gymnastics champion, earning him much fanfare from crowds at home.

The 19-year-old gymnast had been training with Japanese coach Munehiro Kugimiya for the past four years.

And today, his hard work again paid off.

source: philstar.com

Kate Gives U.S. Gymnasts a Thrill

Gymnastics royalty encountered the real thing on Sunday in London, as four of Team USA's female Olympic gymnasts – out of the so-called Fab Five – were starstruck by an unexpected chat with the Duchess of Cambridge.
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Kate, 30, attending the beginning of the event finals at Greenwich Arena, is a huge supporter of Great Britain's athletes at these London Games – but was impressed enough by the gold-winning American team to approach and offer her congratulations.

"Just met princess Kate with @jordyn_wieber @kyla_ross96 & @gabrielledoug she is so beautiful & so nice! I told her I loved her style lol :)," Aly Raisman wrote on Twitter.




"Can't believe I just met Princess Kate Middleton! She was in the crowd at the competition and she stood up to talk to us! #honored," added Wieber.




Indeed, TV cameras caught the young Americans grinning from ear to ear as the duchess, in her official Team GB jacket, smiled and talked with them. And, if they needed confirmation it was really royalty in their midst, they could check out HRH Kate's all-access Olympic badge, which she's been wearing throughout the Games.

McKayla Maroney was the only one of the Fab Five to miss the encounter, as she was busy winning silver in the vault finals.

source: people.com

Jordyn Wieber's First Day in Olympic Competition Ends Unexpectedly

Jordyn Wieber was all but a lock to compete in – and potentially win – the all-around final in women's gymnastics at the Olympic Games.

"Her mental toughness, that's what helps her succeed consistently," 1996 gold medal-winning gymnast Dominique Moceanu told PEOPLE earlier this month. "I think she's got a lot to offer the team and her and Gabby [Douglas] are going to be the ones striving for those all-around medals, definitely."

The current national and world champion, Wieber herself blogged for PEOPLE just days before the Olympics began, saying, "I can't wait for competition to start."

But Sunday, the first day of women's gymnastics competition at the Games, proved to be more dramatic than Wieber, 17, may have expected. (SPOILERS AHEAD …)

After her routines on vault, beam, bars and floor earned what some believe to be questionably low scores, Wieber was edged out of the individual all-around final, leaving her sobbing on the competition floor. Her teammates Aly Raisman and Gabrielle Douglas qualified for the final.






But Wieber wasn't the only one stunned by the result. Raisman, who had a stellar day, was in tears as well, and Wieber's coach spoke out on the surprising finish. "I'm basically devastated for her," John Geddert, told reporters after the qualification, Gymnastike.org reports.

"She has trained her entire life for this day and to have it turn out anything less than she deserves is going to be devastating. She has waited her entire career for this. She is happy for her teammates and disappointed that she doesn't get to move on."

Gymnastics fans were abuzz following the tearful result for Wieber, and Geddert addressed what many were thinking: that his athlete was robbed by the judges.

"That's the lowest floor score she's gotten ... ever," said Geddert. "And again, they gave her nothing in her floor routine that was questionable."

Team coordinator Marta Karolyi was sympathetic to Wieber's result, but more accepting of the outcome.

"I would be very disappointed, too," Karolyi told reporters. "Today she wasn't quite as sharp. She was very good but not quite as sharp and the other two girls surpassed her ... What can you do? Sport is sport."

And it appears that Wieber herself is turning her attention to her next competition – the team final, which takes place on Tuesday.

"Thank you all for your love and support," she Tweeted late Sunday. "I am so proud of our team today and I can't wait for team finals!!"

source: people.com