Simone Biles’ mental health journey to Olympic victory
After winning the gold at the 2024 Olympics, Simone Biles explains how therapy helped her become the most decorated U.S. Olympic gymnast.
Simone Biles has made history as the most decorated U.S. gymnast in Olympic history. During this year’s Olympic competition in Paris, Biles walked away with gold medals in the team all-around and the women’s all-around finals. The wins made her the owner of nine Olympic medals, of which six are gold, and 30 world medals, including 23 golds.
In addition to her physical training, Biles, 27, credits therapy for building her mental stamina and her growth as an athlete. During the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, the gymnast withdrew from competition after experiencing “the twisties,” which she describes as a moment “when your mind and your body are at a disconnect.” This dangerous and emotional incident unveiled mental health concerns for Biles and motivated her to seek therapy.
“I think, before, I was pushing down my trauma, and now I’ve learned to speak on it and kind of release that. So that’s really helped me, and that’s why I’m doing what I’m doing today,” Biles said, per People magazine. “I feel a lot more free, especially going to therapy and doing those sessions so that physically and mentally I feel better, and I know that’s an important part of my routine.”
While helping alleviate the pressure of the competition, therapy has also allowed the star athlete to stay true to her authentic self. Older and wiser, Biles even did a therapy session before competing in the team all-around final.
“At the beginning of the day, I started off with therapy this morning, so that was super exciting. I told her I was feeling calm and ready and that’s kind of exactly what happened,” she added. “After I finished vault, I was relieved. I was like, ‘Phew,’ because [there were] no flashbacks or anything.”
Her resilience and unrivaled accomplishments in gymnastics have inspired many, including award-winning superstar Beyoncé. Following her Olympic win, the “Cowboy Carter” songstress narrated a video highlighting the Olympian’s journey.
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“Let’s talk about power because, really, that’s what this story is about. Physical power, its beauty, its wonder, the way it never stops amazing you. Then there’s spiritual power, the kind that really matters. The power you can’t see, only sense. The power you need in those moments when life goes a little sideways on you,” Beyoncé says of Biles in the voiceover. “Simone Biles inspires me … such confidence in her strength, such beauty in her power, such a great lesson in her story … it doesn’t come easy. Gold can be a hell of a journey, and the greatest of all time is willing to put that title on the line every time she walks out there.”
Just as Queen Bey crowned the gymnast with the “greatest of all time” title, many fans also say Biles has reached GOAT status. So much so, that after winning the all-around final, the Olympic champion put on a goat necklace as “an ode” to her supporters and a dig at her haters.
“It’s like the best of both worlds,” Biles said in a press conference. “At the end of the day, it is crazy that I’m in the conversation of greatest of all time athletes because I still think I’m Simone Biles from Spring, Texas, that loves to flip.”
Less focused on her stats and the number of accolades, Biles says she’s most proud of her growth.
“All in all,” she said, per CNN. “I’m super proud of my performance tonight and the fight that I’ve had for the last three years mentally and physically just to get back [to] competing on a world stage.”
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