The Hidden Struggles of Olympic Champion Simone Biles: How the ‘Twisties’ Derailed Her Career and Left Her Feeling Like America Hated her
Simone Biles, a decorated gymnast who won 33 medals at the world championships and Olympics, recently opened up about the mental struggles she faced during the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. In an episode of the “Call Her Daddy” podcast, Biles revealed that she thought the world would hate her for withdrawing from the team final after experiencing the “twisties.” The “twisties” are described as a disconnect between a gymnast’s mind and body, making it difficult to execute moves.
When Biles realized she had the “twisties,” she felt as though she would be heavily criticized by her home country, the United States. She described feeling like America hated her and feared that she would be banned from returning if she did not win gold. Despite these fears, Biles ultimately made the difficult decision to step back from competition, paving the way for her replacement, Jordan Chiles, in the team event in which the U.S. won silver.
Biles went on to win a bronze medal in the balance beam before taking a break from gymnastics. She compared the experience of the “twisties” to other athletes’ struggles, such as the “yips” in baseball or suddenly forgetting how to drive a car. Biles expressed the feeling of losing control over her body and mind, leading her to make the tough decision to stop competing in
