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“I’m Taking Her Spot”: Simone Biles Departure From DTWS Left MLB Icon ‘Shocked’ in 2017

Published 10/03/2022, 10:45 AM EDT

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Simone Biles, the greatest gymnast ever, made her debut at the 2016 Rio Games. She quickly became one of Tokyo’s most anticipated athletes at the 2020 Summer Olympics. However, Simone shocked the whole of America by taking a step back due to her mental health. 

Before she withdrew her name from the Tokyo Olympics, she never lost any competition, she participated in. But in 2017, the legendary gymnast lost to a dancing show, which left a former MLB player bamboozled.

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Ross defeated Simone Biles in D.W.T.S.

In 2017, Simone participated in a television hit program called, Dancing with the Stars. Biles picked her close friend, Sasha Farber, as her partner. Meanwhile, former MLB player, David Ross, participated in the competition with his partner, Lindsay Arnold. 

via Imago

Biles’ performance in the show was astounding. However, she couldn’t win and got eliminated. Meanwhile, David got second place in the front with Lindsay. After winning the second spot, David shared his thoughts on Simone. 

He said, “My heart hurts slightly to see Simone go. I’m shocked. I didn’t feel like I could celebrate onstage because I honestly felt bad. I feel like I’m taking her spot, I don’t know if I should feel that way or not, but I do. This is a family. We’re friends. It’s hard to see anybody go.” During the elimination round, David and Simone were selected for elimination. However, Simone ended up getting eliminated. 

Simone’s elimination from D.W.T.S.

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In one of the last rounds, Simone Biles, David Ross, Rashad Jennings, and Normani Kordei, were finalized for the previous round. But the legendary gymnast got eliminated with her partner. The moment of the announcement was made, it got a bit heavy for everyone, including Simone. As the host, Tom Bergeron, announced the eliminated couple, Biles’ fans lost their last hope. 

While everyone discovered the news, Bruno Tonioli, Carrie Ann Inaba, and Julianne Hough, jumped up and left their judges’ seats. On the other hand, head judge, Len Goodman, covered his face in disbelief. Before leaving the set, Biles smiled heartwarmingly and said“I’m just thankful to be at this competition. I feel like I’ve learned a lot about myself. I’ve matured. And I can’t wait to go home, and I’ll be back next week at the finale.”

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WATCH THIS STORY: Don’t Tell Them I Did That. Here’s A Quick Look at Gymnast G.O.A.T Simone Biles’ Ice-Cream Selling Skills

Even after leaving the stage, Simone told backstage reporters about what she had learned throughout the competition. Simone called her experience a refreshing and free chance. But before concluding, she added on how she wanted a break from competitions and wished to go on a vacation with her family. 

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Written by:

Ishani Yadav

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Ishani Yadav is a US Sports author for EssentiallySports. She is currently pursuing her Bachelor's degree in Journalism from the University of Delhi. Ishani spent her childhood playing baseball and badminton, which led to her passion for sports.
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Edited by:

Vibhanshu Kumar