Simone Biles' performance at the 2021 Olympics, marred by mental health issues and personal struggles, has served a much larger purpose than her impressive athleticism. While her hands aren't full of medals, Biles can be confident that she inspired a generation by putting her humanity on display. However, the break that Biles did take, which caused her to miss four Olympic finals, seemed to have cleared her mind enough for this morning's balance beam event. Falling just short behind two Chinese contestants, Biles placed third and earned herself a Bronze medal-- her seventh Olympic medal in her career.
"This one is definitely sweeter," Simone Biles said about the bronze medal, a mark of her perseverance against adversity. Other Bronze medals in her career have come with disappointment and shame, though this one means a lot more.
Simone Biles competes in the Women's Balance Beam Final on day eleven of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games - Jamie Squire/Getty Images
"We’re not just entertainment, we’re humans," Biles told IOC President Thomas Bach in a tearful interview Tuesday, "And there are things going on behind the scenes that we’re also trying to juggle with as well, on top of sports." She concluded this thought with: "My mental and physical health is better than any medal."
This was a cornerstone of Biles' message throughout the past week. Many have blasted the gymnast for putting her own needs over the athletic reputation of America, while others see Biles' decision as an important step in normalizing mental health issues.
Fans flocked to Twitter to support Biles for her victory. One user wrote: "Simone Biles does a double pike dismount, which she hasn’t done in approximately 9 years! What a wonderful performance!"
Check out the interview and some clips below.
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