Simone Biles Shares Unseen Footage Leading Up To Her 2020 Olympics Exit Decision

Simone Biles withdrew from the Tokyo 2020 Olympics (held in 2021) primarily due to mental health concerns.

After her first event, she decided to prioritize her well-being as she faced the high-pressure environment shortly after the COVID-19 pandemic. She later cited the "twisties," which affect a gymnast's awareness and can lead to serious injuries.

In the first episode of "Simone Biles Rising," fans see never-before-seen footage of Simone Biles and her struggles leading up to the 2020 Olympics.

After an awkward landing on a warm-up vault followed by an unexpected somersault, commentators described the moment as “bizarre," and Biles knew something was wrong immediately.

“As soon as I did it, I was like, ‘You’ve got to be sh-tting me, like right now, really right now, we’re going to do this?’” Biles recalled in the episode, per People Magazine. “I knew from that very moment that it wasn’t just, like, one time and done, cause I feel like you can feel it in your head.”

“I knew it wasn’t just like, ‘Oops, sorry.’ I was like, how am I supposed to tell them that this is bad, bad?" she said in the docuseries. “To me, it felt silent, almost like death, and if I could have ran out of that stadium, I would have, but I was like, keep it cool, calm, collected, don’t freak anybody out, let’s go over and be like, ‘We’re done here.'"

After facing a mental block and what she calls the "twisties," she called her mom in Texas to inform her that, for her mental health and her safety, she needed to drop out of the competition. Her family and coaches had her back and showed her a tremendous amount of support.

However, the public and social media users were quick to judge and criticize her decision.

“Everywhere I went, I felt like they could see ‘loser’ or ‘quitter’ across my head,” she said in the docuseries. “So I always felt like everyone was staring at me, even if they weren’t.”

Despite the backlash, Biles knows she made the right decision.

“Having these mental blocks in the gym recently, I’m getting lost in my skills, I just don’t get how,” she said as tears dripped down her cheek. “It’s like I’m so prepared, I don’t know if I’m overthinking, but it’s getting to the point where it’s becoming dangerous, I’m getting lost in all my floor skills.”

"Afterwards, I kinda felt like I was in jail, my own brain and body, just like, I just feel so ashamed," she added.

After dropping out of the Olympics, Biles became an advocate for mental health, speaking out about the importance of therapy and self-care.

“We have to protect our body and our mind … It just sucks when you’re fighting with your own head. Whenever you get in a high-stress situation, you kind of freak out. I have to focus on my mental health and not jeopardize my health and well-being,” Biles said, per Pennsylvania Psychiatric Institute. “I know I brush it off and make it seem like pressure doesn’t affect me, but sometimes it’s hard! The Olympics is no joke.”

“It’s really important to use that support system and know they’re there for you and not against you because, at the end of the day, us as humans, we hate asking for help,” she added. “We think we can do it on our own, but sometimes we just can’t. So, use every outlet given to you.”

The G.O.A.T. is ready for her comeback as she made the 2024 Paris Olympics Team USA. As she celebrated the news, Biles thanked her co-coaches Cecile and Laurent Landi, “I knew I wasn’t done after the performances in Tokyo. Getting back in the gym and trusting the process with Cecile and Lauren. I knew I’d be back.”

After she made the 2024 Paris Olympics team, Biles appeared on the "TODAY" show, opening up about what legacy she wants to leave. "I don't want to look back 50 years from now and be like, 'wow, she was good, but she was so miserable,'" she said, per The Bleacher Report.

"And I think a couple of times I might have felt that, but now I'm just like, 'wow, look at her go. She's having so much fun. She's loving what she's doing with who she's doing it with," she added. "So, really just embracing that moment."

The 2024 Paris Olympics kick off on July 26. "Simone Biles Rising" is streaming on Netflix.