Simone Biles has left the Tokyo Olympics, but is “keeping the door open” to competing again in the future.
The 24-year-old gymnast made the revelation while speaking with Today’s Hoda Kotb. After withdrawing from four competitions due to mental health struggles that affected her ability to safely perform her routines, Biles said she was so “happy” to be able to “get back out there and do one more routine” on the balance beam, for which she won the bronze medal.
“It just felt really amazing. I’m proud of myself for the way I pushed up and even learned that dismount that I haven’t done up in years and just put up a good set,” she explained. “That’s all I really wanted, I wasn’t expecting to walk away with a medal or anything. I just wanted to go out there, do it for myself and I did.”
“I think I have to relish and take this Olympics in and kind of recognize what I’ve done with my career. Because after 2016, I didn’t get to do that,” she added. “Yeah, keeping the door open.”
Biles admitted there was a point when she thought about not going through with it.
“In the beginning, whenever I kept over rotating the dismounts, I was like, yes. But then I was like, ‘I think I can do it and I feel good,'” she shared. “Like, I know I have a good beam set. And I felt fairly confident.”
“It feels heavy. It’s like the weight of the world is on your shoulders and I’m very small, so I feel like at times it’s very overwhelming,” she continued. “But whenever you get so overwhelmed and you have triggers, it’s like, I have to focus on my mental well-being and that’s what I did. It was hard, working five years for a dream and just having to give it up. It was not easy at all.”
On Tuesday, Biles shared a heartfelt post to Instagram about her “unique” experience at this year’s Olympic Games.
“Not at all how I imagined or dreamed my second Olympics would go but blessed to represent the USA,” she wrote. “I’ll forever cherish this unique Olympic experience. Thanks everyone for the endless love and support. I’m truly grateful.”
Biles also celebrated earning a silver medal as part of the U.S. women’s gymnastics team event, and the bronze medal she earned in the balance beam final. “Leaving Tokyo with two more Olympic medals to add to my collection isn’t too shabby!” she gushed. “Seven-time Olympic medalist.”
