Simone Biles addresses her critics after stepping back from Olympic Games

Simone Biles insists she “didn’t quit” the Olympics as she opens up on mental health struggles and hits back at her critics. The 24-year-old gymnast – who decided to withdraw from the team all-round final after her first apparatus and didn’t complete in the individual all-around – has shared clips from her practice in Tokyo and opened up on her mental health struggles as she explained her mind and body were “not in sync” so she felt it was too risky to take part.

She wrote on Instagram: “For anyone saying I quit. I didn’t quit, my mind & body are simply not in sync as you can see here. I don’t think you realize how dangerous this is on hard/competition surface nor do I have to explain why I put health first.

She wrote: “Something you have to take literally day by day, turn by turn.”

Simone noted she has had “plenty of bad performances” during her career and has been able to carry on.

She added: “I didn’t have a bad performance & quit. I’ve had plenty of bad performances throughout my career and finished the competition.

“I simply got so lost my safety was at risk as well as a team medal. Therefore the girls stepped up and killed the rest of the competition & won silver QUEENS!!!

“Hence why we have 4 team members bc ALLLLL of us can compete in team meet. Not just me. (sic)”

She noted “this was not happening” before she left the United States, but instead started happening “after prelims competition the VERY next morning”.