Biles withdraws from gymnastics final to protect team, self
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Simone Biles earns bronze medal on balance beam in rousing Olympic finale
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Simone Biles made a rousing return to these Olympics, with a last-chance last stand on the balance beam that garnered her a bronze medal, her record-tying seventh and almost certainly final career medal.
Biles delivered a steady, strong routine and while she was, no doubt, trying to win gold, this was as much about competing, and overcoming, than anything else. That a medal came in the end was an added bonus.
China’s 16-year-old sensation Guan Chenchen (14.633) won gold and teammate Tang Xijing Tag (14.233) took silver. They were the two highest qualifiers and thus the favorites to win the event.
Biles, who entered with just the seventh-highest qualifying score, finished third with a 14.000.
“I was just happy to be able to perform regardless of the outcome,” Biles said. “I did it for me and I was happy to be able to compete one more time … Training for five years and coming here and kind of being triggered and not being able to do anything wasn’t fun.”
Upon cleanly landing her dismount, Biles beamed a smile, clapped her hands, patted her heart and acknowledged the cheers form teammates, opponents, officials and everyone else gathered here, many of whom were standing and cheering. She quickly bear-hugged her coach Cecile Canqueteau-Landi and then teammate Sunisa Lee.
Biles' routine required no twists in the air — she replaced her dismount with a double pike. That alone may have given her the confidence to perform.
“The other ones I couldn't physically do without putting health and safety at risk because it is twisting,” Biles said. “Beam, I didn’t have that issue.”
She also tried to clear up one online rumor that not being able to take medication for ADHD — which is banned in Japan — was an issue. “I haven’t taken ADHD medication since 2017,” she said.
Biles delivered a steady, strong routine and while she was, no doubt, trying to win gold, this was as much about competing, and overcoming, than anything else. That a medal came in the end was an added bonus.
China’s 16-year-old sensation Guan Chenchen (14.633) won gold and teammate Tang Xijing Tag (14.233) took silver. They were the two highest qualifiers and thus the favorites to win the event.
Biles, who entered with just the seventh-highest qualifying score, finished third with a 14.000.
“I was just happy to be able to perform regardless of the outcome,” Biles said. “I did it for me and I was happy to be able to compete one more time … Training for five years and coming here and kind of being triggered and not being able to do anything wasn’t fun.”
Upon cleanly landing her dismount, Biles beamed a smile, clapped her hands, patted her heart and acknowledged the cheers form teammates, opponents, officials and everyone else gathered here, many of whom were standing and cheering. She quickly bear-hugged her coach Cecile Canqueteau-Landi and then teammate Sunisa Lee.
Biles' routine required no twists in the air — she replaced her dismount with a double pike. That alone may have given her the confidence to perform.
“The other ones I couldn't physically do without putting health and safety at risk because it is twisting,” Biles said. “Beam, I didn’t have that issue.”
She also tried to clear up one online rumor that not being able to take medication for ADHD — which is banned in Japan — was an issue. “I haven’t taken ADHD medication since 2017,” she said.
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DSM 5: Autism Spectrum Disorder, DSM IV: Aspergers Moderate Severity
It is Autism Acceptance Month
“My autism is not a superpower. It also isn’t some kind of god-forsaken, endless fountain of suffering inflicted on my family. It’s just part of who I am as a person”. - Sara Luterman
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Simone Biles revealed that her aunt died just 2 days before she made her triumphant Olympic return
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Following her bronze-medal showing in Tuesday's balance beam final, the gymnastics superstar revealed that her aunt died "unexpectedly" just two days before she made her way back into the competition in Tokyo.
I was like 'Oh my God. This week needs to be over,'" Biles' coach Cecile Canqueteau-Landi said on Tuesday, per People. "I asked her what do you need and she said 'I just need some time.' I said, 'You call me, text me if you need anything, I'll be here. Whatever that is.'"
Biles considered her options, but quickly realized that she couldn't do much with thousands of miles separating her from her family back home in Texas.
"She called her parents," Landi said. "She said, 'There's nothing I can do from over here. So I'm just going to finish my week and when I get home we'll deal with it.'"
I was like 'Oh my God. This week needs to be over,'" Biles' coach Cecile Canqueteau-Landi said on Tuesday, per People. "I asked her what do you need and she said 'I just need some time.' I said, 'You call me, text me if you need anything, I'll be here. Whatever that is.'"
Biles considered her options, but quickly realized that she couldn't do much with thousands of miles separating her from her family back home in Texas.
"She called her parents," Landi said. "She said, 'There's nothing I can do from over here. So I'm just going to finish my week and when I get home we'll deal with it.'"
Are all those armchair judges who called her weak and a coward going to apologize to her now? Not a chance.
_________________
Professionally Identified and joined WP August 26, 2013
DSM 5: Autism Spectrum Disorder, DSM IV: Aspergers Moderate Severity
It is Autism Acceptance Month
“My autism is not a superpower. It also isn’t some kind of god-forsaken, endless fountain of suffering inflicted on my family. It’s just part of who I am as a person”. - Sara Luterman
ASPartOfMe wrote:
Are all those armchair judges who called her weak and a coward going to apologize to her now? Not a chance.
There is as much of a chance for an apology from those "armchair judges" as there is for them entering the Olympics.On April 23, 1910, Theodore Roosevelt gave what would become one of the most widely quoted speeches of his career. I have paraphrased it below.
"It is not the critic who counts; not the one who points out how the strong woman stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the woman who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends herself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if she fails, at least she fails while daring greatly, so that her place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat."
May G^D bless you, Simone Biles!
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