Simone Biles withdraws from floor exercise final at the Tokyo Olympics

Simone Biles has withdrawn from the floor exercise event final, which is scheduled to take place on Monday, leaving the balance beam final on Tuesday as her final chance to compete again in these Summer Games.

Biles, who was expected to dominate the gymnastics competition here, cited a need to protect her physical and mental health when she scratched from the team competition on Tuesday after becoming unable to sense where she was in the air when she twisted. She previously withdrew from the all-around event, which was won by her U.S. teammate, Suni Lee of St. Paul, Minn., and from the vault and uneven bars finals.

Olympics

Simone Biles withdraws from vault and uneven bars at Tokyo Olympics

Simone Biles, who withdrew from the team and all-around gymnastics finals, will not compete in two apparatus events at the Tokyo Olympics on Sunday.

July 30, 2021

USA Gymnastics announced Biles’ withdrawal from the floor exercise final on Sunday via social media and said Biles “will make a decision on beam later this week.” The organization added, “Either way, we’re all behind you, Simone.”

American MyKayla Skinner was designated as Biles’ replacement in the vault final, and Jade Carey replaced Biles in the all-around event. Based on scores compiled during the qualifying round, the U.S. was not allowed to substitute any other Americans in the other event finals. Jennifer Gadirova of Great Britain was the first designated replacement in the floor exercise final.

Biles has remained with her teammates in Tokyo. On Friday she posted a video of herself practicing at a local gym and having difficulty with her dismount from the uneven bars. The video was later deleted, but she said in Instagram story that she was still feeling disoriented as a result of what gymnasts call “the twisties,” which takes away their awareness in the air and can lead to potentially dangerous falls.