it has been an emotional week for team usa gymnastics. late yesterday, the group announced that simone biles will not compete in two of her four individual competitions. the vault and the uneven bars. the 24-year-old gymnast was a heavy favorite for the vault going into the games, the final going into the games, but she has struggled during her time in tokyo. miss biles explained on instagram that she has been dealing with something called the twisties. it s a kind of mental block, where gymnasts lose track of their positioning midair. simone biles decision to withdraw has put the long-taboo issue of mental health front and center at this year s olympics. our panel is back with us. and ana, let me start with you on this one. i can t blame simone biles for pulling out. the way i think of it is, imagine just going on a really rough roller coaster, lots of flips and dives and twists and turns and the minute you get off the roller coaster, someone says, now, do a backflip. if that scares
it has been an emotional week for team usa gymnastics. late yesterday, the group announced that simone biles will not compete in two of her four individual competitions. the vault and the uneven bars. the 24-year-old gymnast was a heavy favorite for the vault going into the games, the final going into the games, but she has struggled during her time in tokyo. ms. biles explained on instagram that she has been dealing with something called the twisties. it s a kind of mental block where gymnasts lose track of their positioning midair. simone biles s decision to withdraw has put the long-taboo issue of mental health front and center at this year s olympics. our panel is back with us. and ana, let me start with you on this one. i can t blame simone biles for pulling out. the way i think of it is, imagine just going on a really rough roller coaster, lots of flips and dives and ups and downs and twists and turns, and the minute you get off the roller coaster someone says now do a backflip.
team usa gymnastics scored a huge victory, today, despite the absence of simone biles. american gymnast suni lee turned in the performance of a lifetime to claim the gold in the women s all-around final. cnn s will ripley has more on her remarkable story. reporter: from a family of southeast asian refugees, to olympic gold for team usa. like, it doesn t even feel like real life. reporter: 18-year-old sunisa lee. the first mung-american olympic gymnast stepping up, when simone biles stepped back. taking women s individual all-around gold. win number six, in the event for team usa. tying the former soviet union s record. this medal would not be possible, without my coaches, the medical team, my parents, and it s just so surreal and i haven t even let it sink in,
we re going to move forward and save lives. and if you want to be stupid, please do that somewhere else. yeah. people can have a choice. so we re going to return to this. but for now, let s go to tokyo. we turn now to what was an already emotional week for team usa gymnastics. delivering another dramatic twist with a gold medal in the all around event that was expected to be dominated by simone biles. with biles still focussing on her mental health, it was the 18-year-old from minnesota, suni lee who stepped up to become the fifth american woman in a row to claim gold. nbc news senior correspondent tom yamas takes us through suni s big day in tokyo. reporter: the olympics has a story the world can cheer. suni lee reinvigorating team usa
team usa gymnastics scored a huge victory today, despite the absence of simone biles. american gymnast suni lee turned in the performance of a lifetime to claim the gold in the women s all around final. cnn s will ripley has more on her remarkable story. reporter: from a family of southeast asian refugees, to olympic gold for team usa. it s like it doesn t even feel like real life. reporter: 18-year-old sunisa lee, stepping up when simone biles stepped back. taking women s individual all around gold, win number six in the event for team usa. tying the former soviet union s record. this medal would not be possible would my coaches, the medical team, my parents, and it s just so surreal and i haven t even let it sink in yet.