Years of waiting, mismanagement, scandal and a pandemic all culminated in Japan having its best Olympics ever on the medal table, even though there were virtually no home fans in stadiums to enjoy the successes.
Steve Keating
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Tokyo 2020 Olympics - Gymnastics - Artistic - Women s Beam - Medal Ceremony - Ariake Gymnastics Centre, Tokyo, Japan - August 3, 2021. Bronze medallist Simone Biles of the United States poses in front of the Olympic rings REUTERS/Mike Blake
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TOKYO, Aug 4 (Reuters) - Simone Biles was always expected to make headlines at the Tokyo Olympics. The U.S. gymnast did just that, and more - but not in a way anyone would have ever expected.
While Biles did not rewrite the Olympic record book as planned, she did leave an indelible mark on the Tokyo Games, changing the narrative from winning medals to championing athlete mental health and well-being.
August 04, 2021
published at 7:48 AMReuters
Bronze medallist Simone Biles of the United States poses in front of the Olympic rings at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics on Aug 3, 2021.
Reuters
TOKYO, Japan - Simone Biles was always expected to make headlines at the Tokyo Olympics. The US gymnast did just that, and more - but not in a way anyone would have ever expected.
While Biles did not rewrite the Olympic record book as planned, she did leave an indelible mark on the Tokyo Games, changing the narrative from winning medals to championing athlete mental health and well-being.
Suddenly everyday conversation revolved around the the twisties , a type of mental block where gymnasts are disoriented during their gravity-defying skills and something few outside the sport had heard of prior to the Tokyo Olympics.
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