Simone Biles: What Really Happened at the Tokyo Olympics

Simone Biles recounts her experience at the Tokyo Olympics, detailing the mental and physical challenges she faced, particularly the "twisties," a phenomenon where gymnasts lose spatial awareness mid-air. Despite feeling disconnected and battling internal demons, Simone pushed through her routines but ultimately decided to withdraw to protect herself and give her team a chance at medaling. She emphasizes the immense pressure athletes face, the importance of mental health, and the support she provided her teammates after stepping down, highlighting the critical decision to prioritize well-being over competition.

• Simone Biles discusses her experience at the Tokyo Olympics, particularly focusing on the mental and physical challenges she faced during her vault performance.
• She mentions experiencing "twisties," a condition where gymnasts lose their sense of spatial awareness while in the air.
• Despite her struggles, she was determined to perform for her team.

"In training, I was having twisties already, but I'm trying to push past that, and I would literally tell my teammates, 'I'm fighting demons. I'm fighting demons right now, but I'm going to do it for you guys.'"

• Simone Biles was experiencing significant mental and physical challenges, yet she was motivated to push through for the sake of her teammates.

"It was the cords were not connected, so I literally felt like I was fighting my body and my mind to do these tricks."

• Biles felt a disconnect between her body and mind, making it extremely difficult to perform her routines.

"Vault is feeling a little bit weird in the air, and you can see it like the girls... we ended on floor because we started on vault out there, so we end on floor. I go to do my first pass, and you can see in the air... it doesn't feel comfortable. I have no idea where I am, but I'm twisting, like praying to land on my feet."

• Biles describes the disorienting experience of performing a vault while dealing with twisties, highlighting the physical and mental strain she was under.

"All of the gymnasts in there from all the countries are like, 'That's jacked up. It looks like she's never done this a day in her life,' but they know it's a twisty, so people were kind of trying not to watch."

• Fellow gymnasts recognized the severity of her condition and the impact it had on her performance, showing empathy and understanding.

• Biles explains the concept of the "One Touch Warm-Up" in gymnastics.
• This warm-up is crucial as gymnasts get only one chance to perfect their vault before the actual performance.

"Once we go out there, we usually have a OneTouch Vault, and it is what it is. It's to warm up you. You're usually sitting in the back for 40-45 minutes, come out, you get one turn to take to warm up your Vault to Perfection."

• The One Touch Warm-Up is a brief but critical moment where gymnasts get a single opportunity to practice their vault before the competition.

"I did a one and a half, and I'm like, 'What the... like what was that?' And so I'm like, 'It's fine,' and everybody's freaking out. I don't have another touch, so I have to go stand there until it's my turn to salute and go."

• Biles recounts the pressure and anxiety of not performing well during her One Touch Warm-Up and having to wait without another chance to practice.

• Biles highlights the mental and physical struggles she faced, emphasizing the importance of mental health in sports.
• She felt a significant disconnect between her body and mind, which severely impacted her performance.

"I was fighting my body and my mind to do these tricks."

• The struggle between her physical abilities and mental state was a constant battle during her performances.

"It was the cords were not connected."

• This metaphor illustrates the disconnect and lack of coordination she felt between her mind and body.

• Despite her challenges, Biles remained determined to perform for her team.
• She communicated her struggles to her teammates, who provided support and understanding.

"I would literally tell my teammates, 'I'm fighting demons. I'm fighting demons right now, but I'm going to do it for you guys.'"

• Biles's determination to push through her difficulties was driven by her commitment to her team.

"People were kind of trying not to watch."

• Fellow gymnasts and teammates showed empathy and support by understanding the severity of her condition and not adding to her pressure.

• Debut at the Olympics: The speaker describes their debut performance at the Olympics, highlighting the immense pressure and the unexpected challenges faced.
• Performance Challenges: The speaker narrates the struggle with executing a vault, including the mental and physical uncertainties.
• Team and Self-Pressure: There is a significant emphasis on the internal and external pressures from teammates and self-doubt.

"Hey, I'm at the Olympics, you know, that's your debut before you know."

• The speaker is emphasizing the significance and the pressure of performing at the Olympics for the first time.

"I do the one and a half and my teammates are shook; they're like, are you okay, are you okay, and I'm trying to convince myself I'm okay."

• This quote illustrates the immediate concern from teammates and the internal struggle to maintain composure and confidence.

"I knew once I got up there, I'm chalking up, we can't put Jordan in yet, I have to go, I have to put up a score no matter what it is over the table."

• The speaker acknowledges the responsibility to perform despite uncertainties, indicating the high stakes and pressure to contribute to the team's score.

• Indecision and Anxiety: The speaker details the mental turmoil and indecision about which vault to perform.
• Physical Readiness: There is a mention of not having practiced certain moves, adding to the anxiety and risk of injury.
• Mental Block: The inability to twist and the disorientation experienced during the performance are highlighted.

"In my head, I'm standing there, and I'm like, I'll just do the double Pike which I haven't warmed up in like four days."

• This quote shows the speaker's last-minute decision-making under pressure, despite not being physically prepared.

"I was like, they put up a score for a two and a half, so I have to do a two and a half."

• The speaker feels compelled to attempt a more difficult move because of the scoring system, despite the risks involved.

"I couldn't twist anymore; it's just like your body, your brain opens up, have no idea where you are."

• This illustrates the disconnection between the body and mind, leading to disorientation during the performance.

• Fear of Criticism: The speaker expresses a deep fear of public and national criticism following a perceived failure.
• Expectations of Success: There is a strong emphasis on the expectation to win gold and the consequences of not meeting those expectations.
• Social Media Impact: The immediate concern about reactions on social media platforms like Twitter is noted.

"As soon as I landed, I was like, oh, America hates me, the world is going to hate me."

• This quote conveys the intense fear of rejection and disappointment from the public after a subpar performance.

"Usually, if you go to the Olympics and you flop or whatever it is, everybody on their couch eating those little chips, right, it's like you let the country down."

• The speaker highlights the harsh judgment athletes face from the public, who may not understand the complexities and pressures of high-level competition.

"That's what they tell you, don't come back if it's not gold, gold or bust, don't come back."

• This underscores the extreme pressure and high expectations placed on athletes to achieve the highest level of success.

• Physical Safety: The speaker reflects on the potential for severe injury and the importance of prioritizing safety.
• Athlete's Mindset: There is an acknowledgment of the athlete's tendency to focus on performance over personal well-being.

"You landing and the first thing that you're thinking should have been thank God I'm alive because you can severely hurt yourself in those moments."

• This quote highlights the importance of recognizing and prioritizing physical safety over performance outcomes.

"Understandably, because this is such an athlete thing, it's like praise everyone, get everything."

• The speaker acknowledges the common mindset among athletes to seek validation and success, often at the expense of personal health and safety.

• The twisties are described as a disconnect between the mind and body, where the body attempts to perform actions but the mind resists or fails to cooperate.
• This condition is compared to suddenly forgetting how to drive a car despite years of experience, leading to a loss of control over the body.
• The twisties are likened to "The Yips" in sports like golf or baseball, where athletes suddenly lose their usual ability to perform.

"It's basically like your mind and your body is at a disconnect. Your body is going to try to do something and your mind is going to be like no you're not doing this."

• The twisties create a mental block that prevents gymnasts from executing their routines safely.

"If one day you woke up and you had no idea how to drive a car, your legs are going crazy, you have no control over your body. That's kind of how it feels."

• This condition is particularly terrifying for gymnasts because they perform high-risk maneuvers without any physical protection.

"It's terrifying because we're in a car without any protection. I am my car."

• Upon experiencing the twisties, the speaker immediately informs their coach that they cannot continue.
• The decision to stop is made to ensure personal safety and because the speaker feels they have reached their limit.

"I go to tell my coach and I said I'm done. I'm not doing anymore because if I survive that I don't know how much else I can survive."

• The speaker compares their situation to a cat with nine lives, indicating they feel they have used up all their chances.

"I always say I'm a cat with nine lives but I think that was my ninth. I'm done."

• Despite internal panic, the speaker tries to remain composed to avoid alarming their teammates.
• The speaker encourages their teammates, attempting to boost their confidence despite the challenging situation.

"Internally freaking out but I didn't want to freak out in front of the girls so I kept as composed as I could have and I was like you guys got this."

• The team is taken to the back for mental and physical evaluation, away from the cameras to avoid further stress or panic.

"We went to the back just to get evaluated like mentally and physically but we also didn't want to scare the girls so I was like can we please go."

• The teammates express their fear and anxiety about continuing without the speaker, fearing they cannot win without their presence.
• The pressure of public perception, particularly on social media, adds to their stress.

"They were like no we can't do this without you. We're not going to win anymore."

• The team is concerned about the potential backlash on Twitter if they fail to win.

"They're freaking out because they also know what Twitter's going to say if us doesn't win."

These notes capture the key themes and details discussed in the transcript, providing a comprehensive overview of the issues related to experiencing the twisties in gymnastics, the immediate response and decision-making process, managing team dynamics, and the emotional response of the team.

• The speaker reflects on the difficulty of dealing with mental health issues while being a top athlete.
• They express regret over not being able to physically contribute to the team's performance.
• The importance of mental health in high-pressure situations is highlighted.

"It was really hard on them because mentally they lost their best player, the veteran. I think it was really hard on them."

• The speaker acknowledges the impact of their absence on the team's morale and performance.

"That's something that I'll never forgive myself for, for that whole entire experience because I wish I could have been in there with them in a way that I was supposed to physically putting up team scores."

• The speaker feels a deep sense of regret for not being able to physically contribute to the team.

• The speaker transitions from being a competitor to the team's loudest and best cheerleader.
• They emphasize the emotional and psychological commitment to their team.

"After that, I became their loudest and best cheerleader, but I just wish I would have been contributing the way that it was supposed to happen."

• Despite not competing, the speaker found a way to support their team vocally and emotionally.

"When you're an athlete, you understand that moment where you're like, you logically know there was nothing else you could have done."

• The speaker touches on the rational understanding of their limitations despite the emotional struggle.

• The speaker discusses the critical decision to prioritize their mental health over competing.
• They highlight the potential risks of competing while not being in the right mental state.

"At that point, it's like, you know what, I need to take care of myself and I need to do what's right for my team."

• The speaker acknowledges the necessity of prioritizing self-care for the benefit of the team.

"If I got hurt on that Vault, they couldn't replace me. So if I got hurt since I'm on every event, it's two up to count, we would have never won a medal."

• The speaker explains the severe consequences that could have arisen from pushing through their mental health struggles.

• The speaker addresses misconceptions about their decision to step back from competition.
• They clarify that their decision was not driven by pride but by the need to ensure the team's success.

"They're like, she didn't want to lose, and I was like, no, no, no, no, no, I'm not like my pride is not that big."

• The speaker refutes the notion that their decision was based on fear of losing.

"People don't realize is if I got hurt on that Vault, they couldn't replace me."

• The speaker highlights the lack of understanding about the rules and the risks involved.

• The speaker emphasizes the need for recognizing mental health issues as legitimate injuries.
• They discuss how mental health issues can be just as debilitating as physical injuries.

"They could rule it as a mental injury and all of that stuff and physical, we got to put Jordan in."

• The speaker notes the procedural aspect of substituting a player due to mental health issues.

"People don't know that what happened in the back."

• The speaker suggests that the behind-the-scenes struggles are often overlooked or misunderstood.