Simone Biles has opened up about her struggle with anxiety during the Olympics. In a video chronicling her preparations for her stunning all-around victory on Thursday, she opens up about her struggle with anxiety during the Olympics.
In a TikTok recorded before she won the competition but published on Friday, the 27-year-old gave fans a glimpse into her life behind the scenes in France. She captioned the post: “Getting ready with meeee for the all-around final @ the Olympics.”
As the 27-year-old touched up her makeup for her second event of the Games, she spoke candidly about how she dealt with her emotions while competing on the highest stage.
“I’m really nervous, that’s to be expected,” she said. “I had therapy this morning, so I feel a little better. I’ve just been working so hard mentally to get to this moment.
‘Tonight I’m starting with vault and I honestly think that’s the part I’m most nervous about because I don’t want to dominate.’
Simone Biles has opened up to fans about her battle with anxiety during the Paris Olympics
Biles has been one of the stars of the Olympics so far, with two gold medals to her name
Biles also explained that she has largely avoided the Olympic Village in Paris after being attacked by fans eager to take a selfie with the American star.
“I haven’t done much around the Olympic Village,” Biles said. “That’s because the first day we were here, I went to the cafeteria and a lot of people were asking me for pictures nonstop and when I sat down to eat, my anxiety was so bad I was shaking.
‘I couldn’t stop shaking, I was so overwhelmed. I went to the cafeteria to meet my boyfriend, but I hadn’t been to the cafeteria in five days.
“I’m just going to go to the store and buy some food and then just stay here (in her room) because it’s making me so anxious.”
Biles has been outspoken about her mental health struggles surrounding a sport in which she has achieved phenomenal success. She withdrew from the 2021 Tokyo Olympics due to mental health issues, later explaining that she suffered from “twisties” — a perceived psychological disconnect between a gymnast’s mind and body, particularly during twists.
In an interview with NBC in June, Biles said that seeing her therapist every Thursday is “kind of a religious thing for me” and that it was no exception for her before competing this week. She has openly and repeatedly credited therapy for helping her return to the top of gymnastics.
Biles also praised Rebeca Andrade, the Brazilian gymnast who won silver on Thursday. In a press conference after her gold medal win, Biles said Andrade’s performance made it the most stressful competition of her career so far.
“Let me tell you, Rebeca is good,” Biles said on her TikTok. “She’s good. I would say she’s my best competitor, we have similar scores.
Biles waves to the crowd after winning her second gold medal at the Paris Games on Thursday
Biles, 27, has a chance to win her third gold medal of the Games on the vault on Saturday
“But I’m really excited to compete with her and rotate with her, she’s super sweet. So I’m excited, it’s going to be a good one.”
She also shared that she had Botox treatment in March, on her 27th birthday, but she was not happy with the effect.
“For my 27th birthday I got Botox, which is like baby Botox, in my T-zone and I didn’t like it,” Biles said.
“I haven’t had it since because I’d be standing there during training and my eyebrow would just go like this (raises it up). So I don’t do that anymore.”
Biles will be back in action on the vault on Saturday, as he seeks his third gold medal of the Games.
She will then compete in the balance beam and floor exercise finals in France on Monday.