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Simone Biles<\/strong><\/a>\u2019 redemption tour is complete. After winning four medals \u2014 three gold, one silver \u2014 at the 2024 Paris Olympics, the artistic gymnast reflected on how much it meant to her to return to the games following her frightening experience with the twisties<\/a> at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was important for me because nobody forced me to be out there on that stage,\u201d the record-breaking athlete, 27, told CNN\u2019s Coy Wire<\/strong> on Tuesday, August 6. \u201cI solely did it for myself, and I\u2019m in a really good spot mentally and physically. So, doing this for just me, it meant the world.\u201d<\/p>\n At the Tokyo Olympics, which took place in summer 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Simone withdrew from four gymnastics events<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cAfter further medical evaluation, Simone Biles has withdrawn from the final individual all-around competition at the Tokyo Olympic Games, in order to focus on her mental health,\u201d a statement from the sport\u2019s governing body read. \u201cWe wholeheartedly support Simone\u2019s decision and applaud her bravery in prioritizing her well-being. Her courage shows, yet again, why she is a role model for so many.\u201d<\/p>\n The gold medalist was said to be suffering from the twisties, a condition where a gymnast loses awareness while they are in mid-air, typically due to a mental block. This makes it difficult to land safely.<\/p>\n \u201cIt doesn\u2019t feel comfortable, I have no idea where I am, but I\u2019m twisting, praying I land on my feet,\u201d Simone told Alex Cooper<\/strong> on the \u201cCall Her Daddy\u201d podcast<\/a> in April. \u201cI felt like I was fighting my body and my mind to do these tricks.\u201d<\/p>\n She continued, \u201cYour mind and your body are at a disconnect. Your body is going to try to do something, and your mind is going to be like, \u2018No, you\u2019re not doing this.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n Though Simone did not compete in the individual all-around final, the uneven bars final, the vault final and the floor final at the 2020 Olympics, she returned for the beam final and took home a bronze medal after performing a scaled-down version of her routine.<\/p>\n Simone had an incredible run at the Paris Olympics, starting with a gold medal in the team all-around final<\/a> on July 30. She later won gold again in the individual all-around final on August 1, followed by a third gold medal in the vault final on August 3. Finally, Simone won a silver medal in the floor final on Monday, August 5.<\/p>\n Though Simone said she worked through her experience with the twisties in therapy, she admitted to having some doubts leading up to the Paris Olympics. However, she simply reflected on what she had learned in therapy to deal with those negative thoughts.<\/p>\n \u201cObviously, you always have those thoughts coming in the back of your head, but just trying to stay as positive as possible \u2014 going back to what I know and thinking about my therapy tactics, and it worked,\u201d she explained in her CNN interview.<\/p>\n During an appearance on Hoda Kotb<\/strong>\u2019s \u201cMaking Space\u201d podcast on July 31, Simone gushed about how much therapy helped her<\/a> ahead of her Olympics return.<\/p>\n \u201cI feel a lot more free, especially going to therapy and doing those sessions so that physically and mentally I feel better, and I know that\u2019s an important part of my routine,\u201d she said. \u201cSo just staying on top of that, it lightens the load a lot.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n