One Year Later, Simone Biles Says She Has “No Regrets” Over Tokyo Olympics

Welcome to the Great Reimagining! From small improvements to life-changing decisions, the country is in a profound period of change. You may have heard of the Great Renunciation, but we prefer to see this new age as an opportunity to truly choose your own future. As you explore our Great Reimagining SeriesGet inspired to make 2022 the year you dream big.

Simone Biles’ gymnast the accolades have been piling up for years: 25 medals, including 4 Olympic golds, the first woman to capture five World All-Around Championship titles, WEATHER 100, Forbes 30 under 30. She is so revered in gymnastics that she is often referred to using only four letters: GOAT — “Greatest of all time.”

But on July 25, 2021, in the Tokyo Olympics qualifying round, something felt off. By the end of the day, Simone had made several uncharacteristic mistakes. “It was not an easy day, but I got through it,” she posted on social media. Then two days later, after streamlining a vault and taking a landing jump, Simone shocked the world by withdrawing from the day’s competition. Eventually, she decided not to compete in three more events, but took home bronze on balance beam.

Simone later explained that, along with other mental health issues, she was struggling with “twists,” a phenomenon in gymnastics in which an athlete loses track of where they are in the air during turns and flips. Scary problem can be dangerous.

Some fans and commentators criticized Simone for withdrawing; others supported her decision to put her mental health first. But over the course of two weeks last summer, Simone, the most dominant gymnast in decades, reimagined what a champion looks like. “The word ‘champion’ used to mean just being on top or breaking records,” she says. Good Housekeeping. “Now it means being vulnerable, showing your inner strength, being brave.”

These days, Simone hopes to inspire other young women to be fierce, competitive and strong enough to speak out. She partnered with the sportswear company Athleta on a line of sportswear for girls ages 6-12. Each of the items features one of Simone’s favorite mantras, such as “Because I can”, “No dream is too big or too small”. “The flat is yours.” – sewn into the fabric.

“They can do anything they set their mind to,” says Biles. “I want them to remember it.”

We chatted with Simone about this big change to find out why she made it, what she learned, and what she wants others to know.

WWhat pushed you to make this change? As an athlete, you need to protect your mind and body, instead of going out there and doing what the world wants us to do and potentially getting hurt. I had to put myself above everything.

You learned? I learned that it is okay to not be okay. If you don’t do what’s right for you, then you’re not going to enjoy your sport and you’re not going to be as successful as you’d like in whatever field you’re competing in.

What are your regrets? I have none. I am happy that I prioritized my mental well-being.

What was the most challenging part of making a change? It’s challenging to talk about how you’re doing mentally, as it’s an invisible injury – people can’t see it, so it’s harder to understand, but I think that’s why it’s so important that we feel empowered to talk about it. .

What was the most rewarding thing about making the change? Seeing the impact it has had on the next generation, empowering them to speak openly about their own mental health and us their own voices.

For more information on the Athleta Girl x Simone Biles collection, visit athlete’s website.