Simone Biles: Postponing Olympics was ‘ultimately the right decision’
Simone Biles has been unusually quiet on social media in recent weeks, but it seems we’ve learned why that was the case.
Biles–who up until Wednesday had yet to comment publicly on the Tokyo Olympics being postponed–appeared on the Today Show this morning to give her thoughts on the situation.
Contrary to some of her fans’ belief that she may up and retire after the postponement, Biles revealed that finding out the Games were postponed was a rough time for her emotionally.
“I was actually in the gym training at the time because we were allowed under 10 people, so our elites were training,” an emotional Biles reflected. “I went to the locker in between rotations, and I didn’t really know what to feel. I kind of sat there, and I cried.”
Now, the reigning Olympic and World Champion has come to terms with the situation and says it was “ultimately the right decision.”
She’s staying busy doing at-home workouts, including a “twerk-out.”
“[The twerk workout] was a lot of squatting and conditioning, so I got my legs going,” Biles laughed. “[I] walked my dog. We’re doing a lot of press handstands, holds, and stuff like that.”
Biles isn’t too worried about the time off from training in the gym. It’s familiar territory after she took a year-and-a-half off after the Rio Games.
“Physically, I have no doubts that my coaches will get me back in shape, but mentally, going another year, I think that’s what’s going to take a toll on me and all of us [athletes].”
Biles’ large family lives in Texas and is known to have regular family meals together. In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, her mom, Nellie Biles, is still making meals for her family while honoring social distancing guidelines with “curbside Sunday dinner pickups.”
Watch the full interview below.
