Tokyo (AFP)
American gymnastics superstar Simone Biles, who surprised Tuesday by retiring in the Tokyo Olympics team competition, is forfeited Thursday's all-around, the American Gymnastics Federation said on its Twitter account.
"After a medical evaluation, Simone Biles withdrew from the all-around final (Thursday, editor's note) in order to focus on her mental health," the federation said.
The American champion, an icon beyond her own sport, had cracked in full competition of the all-around team, evoking a very heavy pressure to manage.
She had been expected for months as the star and the big winner of these Tokyo Games.
With five medals including four gold won in Rio in 2016, and achieving extraordinary figures, she is considered the greatest gymnast of all time.
She is still qualified for four finals to be held next week (beam, floor, bars, jump) and had indicated Tuesday evening that the question of her participation would be decided day by day.
"Simone will continue to be assessed daily to determine if she will participate in individual competitions next week," said the federation.
"We fully support Simone's decision and applaud her courage in prioritizing her well-being. Her courage shows, once again, why she is an inspiration to so many," added the instance.
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