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Reuters

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Reuters

Expectations were sky high from Simone Biles for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Entering the games as a four-time Gold medalist, the 24-year-old who seemed to have only gotten better since Rio was expected to sweep the competition.

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But sadly, that’s not how things panned out. At her first event, the women’s team final, Biles withdrew herself midway citing mental health concerns.

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The otherwise flawless gymnast was seen visibly shaky and jittery as she approached to make her rotations. With her pulling out, the US could only salvage Silver with the Russia Olympic Committee (ROC) taking gold.

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Biles went on to withdraw from all her remaining events barring one, the balance beam final, where she won bronze for the US. Biles’ withdrawal sparked a major conversation in the world of sports regarding professional athlete’s mental health.

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With a difficult Tokyo Olympics now behind her, the gymnast recently opened up in an interview with NBC Sports about her struggles and how it impacted her performance at he Olympics.

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Aaron Rodgers rallies in support of Simone Biles

During the interview Simone Biles said that she took time off to focus on her mental health after experiencing the “twisties.” The twisties is a mental block where athletes loses spatial awareness during a routine, which could lead to them being seriously injured.

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Biles’ decision has garnered a mixed response. While some have rallied to show support to the world famous gymnast, others argue that she was simply being too soft.

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While that is one debate that still rages on, Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers has made it clear which side he’s on.

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“Great interview @Simone_Biles, you are the Goat!!!! @miketirico once again proving why he?s the best in the business, listening and letting Simone speak her truth. Very inspiring stuff #keeptheconversationgoing #mentalhealth,” tweeted Rodgers.

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Aaron Rodgers has had an enduring offseason as well. With run-ins with the Green Bay Packers front office, the quarterback took time off the field to focus on himself. And that’s something which he feels has done his mental health a world of good.

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With more and more athletes coming out in support of Simone Biles, much needed conversations about mental health are taking center stage. And hopefully, it’s a trend that will continue as we realize that our favorite superstars too are only human.

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Shivayan Roy

1,068 Articles

Shivayan Roy is an NFL writer at EssentiallySports. After completing his Masters Diploma in Journalism from the Asian College of Journalism, Roy functioned as a reporter for Goal.com and extensively covered the FIFA U-17 World Cup. Brief stints with The New Indian Express and Zee News were followed by a return to the field of sports to cover gridiron football. The football classic 'Rudy' sparked an undying love for the game in Roy. Apart from playing Madden in his spare time, he also takes time out to follow Formula One.

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