Tokyo Olympics

Simone Biles Will Compete In The Gymnastics Balance Beam Final

It will be her first appearance since she dropped out of the team all-around competition last week, citing her mental health.

by Ikran Dahir

BuzzFeed News Reporter

Updated on August 2, 2021, 2:29 pmPosted on August 2, 2021, 11:17 am

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{ "id": 127513433 } Mike Egerton - Pa Images / PA Images via Getty Images

Simone Biles.

{ "id": 127513428 }

Simone Biles will compete in Tuesday's balance beam final, her first since pulling out of multiple competitions for mental health reasons, USA Gymnastics announced Monday morning.

{ "id": "1422112558920601601", "params": { "conversation": "none" } } USA Gymnastics @USAGym

We are so excited to confirm that you will see two U.S. athletes in the balance beam final tomorrow - Suni Lee AND Simone Biles!! Can’t wait to watch you both!

08:30 AM - 02 Aug 2021 Reply Retweet Favorite Twitter: @USAGym { "id": 127513428 }

Last Tuesday, the superstar gymnast withdrew in the middle of the team final after she stumbled upon landing during the vault. In a press conference afterward, Biles said that she did not feel right mentally in the buildup to the event.

"I was just, like, shaking, could barely nap. I just never felt like this going into a competition before, and I tried to go out here and have fun," Biles said.

On Wednesday, USA Gymnastics announced that Biles had also backed out of the individual all-around competition "in order to focus on her mental health."

"We wholeheartedly support Simone’s decision and applaud her bravery in prioritizing her well-being," USA Gymnastics said in a statement at the time. "Her courage shows, yet again, why she is a role model for so many."

On Friday, Biles did a Q&A on Instagram and posted a practice video to further explain what she has been going through. She explained that the mental block started happening randomly the morning after the preliminary competitions.

"For anyone saying I quit. I didn't quit my mind and body are simply not in sync," she wrote.

The balance beam final will be Biles' only individual shot at an Olympic medal.

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• Simone Biles Pulled Out Of The Women’s Gymnastics Team Final Due To Mental Health Concerns Ade Onibada · July 27, 2021
• Simone Biles Withdrew From The Individual All-Around Gymnastics Final Alex Campbell · July 28, 2021
• Simone Biles Explained Exactly What Happened During Her "Petrifying" Vault After Previously Saying She Could "Literally Die" If It Went Wrong Ben Henry · July 30, 2021
• What Simone Biles Did At The Olympics Is Revolutionary Elamin Abdelmahmoud · July 28, 2021

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  Ikran Dahir is a reporter for BuzzFeed News and is based in London.

  Contact Ikran Dahir at [email protected].

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