Editorial by Jack Ryan
There seem to be many levels to the surprising decision of champion gymnast Simone Biles to back away from competition at the Tokyo Olympics. But so far, it sounds like she made the right decision — for herself.
Biles herself said the weight of the world’s expectations finally wore her down. She found herself unable to concentrate on her gymnastic moves and withdrew from the Olympics to prevent injury.
Sally Jenkins, a columnist for The Washington Post, noted that Biles was one of the gymnasts molested by a doctor working for the national gymnastic association, and one of the reasons she went to Tokyo was to seek greater accountability for those who put young girls at risk.
Finally, there are a number of conservative commentators who are braying about Biles’ decision, seeing it from the comfort of their lounge chairs as a weakness that has embarrassed America.
That’s a silly argument, since Biles has a tremendous record of achievement. At the 2016 Olympics, she was a member of the gold-medalist women’s gymnastic team, and she won three more gold medals and a bronze in individual competition. No weakness there.
Her critics should set aside all those medals and recognize the fact that Biles — and every other athlete who qualifies for the Olympics — proved that they were willing to commit themselves to reaching a difficult goal. No weakness there, either.
More than that, Biles’ childhood would make her an even greater longshot to perform as spectacularly as she has in the last few years.
According to Wikipedia, Biles and her three siblings were in and out of foster care. She was 6 when her grandparents adopted her. Even so, she showed talent when she tried gymnastics on a day-care field trip and began training with a coach at age 8. This sounds like one of those “Only in America” stories where lucky chances and hard work transforms a foster child into a star.
Yet for all that Biles has achieved, sometimes things weren’t perfect, and there were plenty of distractions.
“She fended off depression, steeling herself to go on,” The Associated Press wrote after her Tokyo withdrawal. “There was a brand to build. Sponsors to please. Fans to honor. Critics — both internal and external — to silence.
“Much like Olympic greats Michael Phelps and Usain Bolt, the 24-year-old became a prisoner of her own excellence.”
That’s a lot to put on anybody. So maybe the biggest surprise about Biles’ decision is that more high-level athletes don’t do the same thing when they become overwhelmed.
As Jenkins wrote, a gymnast “suspended 10 feet in the air, upside down and twisting at the rate of a motorized rotor” had better be completely focused on her routine and well aware of the landing area’s location. Otherwise that gymnast is asking for serious injury.
On one of the world’s biggest stages, Simone Biles realized she wasn’t up to the task and very publicly walked away. That’s hardly weakness. That is courageous.
Hopefully she’ll get any help that she needs.
