Everyone must remember when Simone Biles withdrew from most of her events at the Tokyo Olympics. However, most people are unaware that the gymnast had a similar episode prior to her debut at the Rio Games.

There is a first time for everything. Therefore, Biles, too, started her Olympic journey with the Rio Olympics. Previously, she had competed in the World Championships thrice before her Olympic debut.

Simone Biles faced major jitters before Rio Olympics

The Olympics has an edge over the World Championships, albeit on a minuscule level. However, this difference can mean a lot for athletes competing in the meet. With 33 sports comprising the meet, athletes also find it helpful for exposure purposes.

However, the prospect of competing in the meet for the first time can be taxing for the athlete. And Simone Biles had to find it the hard way.

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Gymnastics Infamous History Backs Simone Biles Scare of Near-Fatal Injury During Tokyo Olympics; Justifying Her Withdrawal

In an interview to promote the launch of her book, ‘Courage to Soar’, Biles opened up about the time she faced major stage fright before the 2016 Rio Games.

Looking back to the challenging times, Biles stated, “As soon as it was New Year’s and it was 2016, I had a freak-out moment. And I swore I lost every skill I had ever done. I went to the gym clueless. I couldn’t remember how to do anything.”

“And I just like kept having mental breakdowns because I couldn’t do any skills that I could do the day before. And so I freaked out a little bit because I was nervous,” added the seven-time Olympic medalist.

Are the two incidents related?

It is natural for athletes to get performance anxiety before an event they are competing in for the first time. Although this incident shares some similarities with the events that transpired during the Tokyo Olympians, they are both isolated occurrences.

The first time around, she experienced it was well before the advent of the meet. But during her second meet, she faced difficulty after the meet had already begun. Furthermore, she withdrew from the events at the Tokyo Olympics, citing concerns over mental health. Moreover, the twisties, a condition affecting gymnasts, also had a role in her withdrawal from the events.

“God Made Me This Way”- Simone Biles Has Always Embraced Herself No Matter What Others Thought of Her

With that said, there are several factors at play that may contribute to stress. These may contribute to a person’s mental well-being, which may emerge as various symptoms.