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TOKYO – She's been called superhuman. Otherworldly. Invincible. One word, though, has never come to mind when discussing Simone Biles: vulnerable.
For the past five years, it seemed nothing could ground the greatest gymnast of all time. The weight of others' expectations became too great for Biles to bear on Tuesday, at the worst possible time. The U.S. had just begun competing in the team finals at the Tokyo Olympics when Biles decided she could not continue, saying she was not in the right "head space" to perform her high-risk gymnastics safely and effectively.
At a time when athletes have begun discussing mental health concerns more openly, Biles' pain was laid bare on the worldwide stage of the Olympic Games. She left the floor at Ariake Gymnastics Centre after landing awkwardly on a vault, nearly sitting down and then lunging forward. Before the next rotation, Biles reappeared and spent the rest of the competition alongside her teammates, watching them win the silver medal behind Russia.