Simone Biles, considered one of the greatest gymnasts of all time, surprised Olympic fans when she withdrew from the women’s gymnastics team finals on Monday, July 26, 2021.
Biles, 24, pulled out of the event after posting the lowest score of her Olympics career and before she was due to compete in the vault competition. She could be seen talking animatedly with her coach and a member of the medical team before walking off the floor, CNN reports.
The Columbus, Ohio, resident is going to be assessed daily to determine whether she can compete in her three remaining events.
During the airing of her Facebook Watch show, “Simone vs. Herself,” Biles revealed in May 2021 that she has been trying to overcome an ankle injury after she landed awkwardly during a triple-double while training.
“So right now, what we’re dealing with is I just have a lot of fluid built up in there,” Biles revealed on the show, according to CNN. “There’s nothing we can do at this point. We don’t have time for rest, we don’t have time for shots and all of that stuff — so tape it is.”
Biles had originally planned on competing for six gold medals during the Tokyo games — the all-around and team competition, as well as the beam, bars, floor and vault.
No word yet on the extent of Biles’ injury or whether it will impact the other events she has qualified for.
