TOKYO (Reuters) – Simone Biles speaking after withdrawing from Tuesday’s Tokyo Olympics gymnastics team final, in which the United States won a silver medal:
ON WITHDRAWAL
“After the performance I did, I just didn’t want to go on.”
ASKED IF SHE WAS INJURED
”No. Just a little injury to my pride.”
ON HER FUTURE AT THE TOKYO OLYMPICS:
“We’re going to see about Thursday (the women’s all-around final)
“We’re going to take it a day at a time and see what happens.
“I’m just trying to gear up for the next test.
“I tried to go out there for the team and they stepped up to the plate.
ON MENTAL HEALTH
“I have to focus on my mental health.
“I just think mental health is more prevalent in sports right now … we have to protect our minds and our bodies and not just go out and do what the world wants us to do.
“I don’t trust myself as much anymore … maybe it’s getting older. There were a couple of days when everybody tweets you and you feel the weight of the world.
“We’re not just athletes, we’re people at the end of the day and sometimes you just have to step back.
“I didn’t want to go out and do something stupid and get hurt.
“I feel like a lot of athletes speaking up has really helped.
“It’s so big, it’s the Olympic Games, at the end of the day we don’t want to be carried out of there on a stretcher.
“You have to be there 100 percent or 120 percent or you’re going to hurt yourself.”
ON WHAT SHE TOLD HER TEAM MATES AFTER WITHDRAWING
“You guys are going to be in, you guys have done all the prep training, so just go out and trust yourselves, you guys can do this without me and you’ll be just fine.”
(Reporting by Elaine Lies, editing by Nick Mulvenney)
