During the women’s gymnastics finals between Team USA and Team Russia at the Tokyo Olympics, Team Russia was leading, but Team USA was gaining ground rapidly. The team consisted of Grace McCallum, Jordan Chiles, Sunisa Lee, and Simone Biles. Biles, a formidable gymnast with 19 gold medals to her name, including four from the 2016 Olympics, is widely regarded as one of the best gymnasts in the world. However, when it was Biles’ turn to perform, she had difficulty executing her routine, unlike her usual flawless performances.
After consulting with her coach and the medical staff, Biles briefly left the competition floor. Upon her return, she chose not to compete, indicated by putting her warmups back on. Without Biles, Team USA was unable to catch up to Team Russia, who secured the gold medal with a three-point lead.
“Simone has withdrawn from the team final competition due to a medical issue,” stated USA Gymnastics spokeswoman Carol Fabrizio to USA TODAY Sports. “She will be evaluated daily to determine if she can compete in future events.”
Simone Biles cheered on her teammates after withdrawing from the Women’s Gymnastics Team Final ❤️
USA Gymnastics said Biles left because of a “medical issue.”
Ultimate teammate ? pic.twitter.com/E7AUjgN0xI
— ESPN (@espn) July 27, 2021
The specifics of Biles’ condition, whether it was an illness or injury, have not been disclosed. Biles mentioned that she did not sustain any injuries and simply didn’t feel up to continuing after her vault performance. She remains uncertain about her participation in the upcoming competitions to defend her individual title on Thursday.
