Unusual errors during qualifying on Sunday, an enigmatic and disturbing message on social networks and, finally, a retirement, after only one apparatus in the all-around team competition on Tuesday July 27.

It's an understatement to say that Simone Biles' Tokyo Games got off to a bad start.

In the first rotation of the all-around, the gymnastics superstar achieved a passage to vault well below his usual standards, concluded with a score of 13.766 points.

Disappointed, her face closed, the four-time Olympic champion of Rio briefly left the room, to the general amazement of the journalists present in the room empty of any public.

She quickly returned to teammates, but did not resume competition, with the scoreboards indicating that she now had substitute status on uneven bars and the other two events on the program (floor, beam).

"Demons in my head"

Wearing her white tracksuit stamped with the logo USA, Biles, a shy smile on her lips, however remained in the room.

She encouraged her teammates, spoke with her French coach Cécile Landi and even sketched a few dance steps to the sound of music that punctuates the passages of the different competitors.

To read:

 Simone Biles, a legend of the gym never satiated, despite a life of hardships

 At the end of the competition won by Russia in front of the United States, she changed her clothes and spoke briefly with IOC President Thomas Bach before the official ceremony.

In front of the media, she explained that she felt a very strong psychological pressure: "As soon as I step on the mat, it's just me and my head ... dealing with demons in my head (...) I have to do this which is good for me and focus on my sanity and not jeopardize my health and well being. "

"I don't have as much self-confidence as I used to, I don't know if it's a question of age. I'm a little more nervous when I do my sport. I feel like I'm not taking not as much fun as before, ”she added, echoing recent comments from Japanese tennis player Naomi Osaka.

Waiting for a medical green light

While the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) officially confirmed that she was a substitute for the entire competition, the American Federation hinted in an email to AFP that the problem encountered by its headliner, very popular in the States -Unis, was serious.

"Simone (Biles) has withdrawn from the team competition for medical reasons. Checks will be carried out daily to determine if she can receive the medical green light for the competitions to come," explained USA Gymnastics, without giving more details. details of the state of health.

Already Sunday, during the qualifications for the all-around competition, the American had appeared unusually feverish and had made several faults, in particular receiving on the ground.

She still managed to qualify for the six finals on the program in Tokyo, an extremely rare feat, the individual all-around and the team all-around, as well as the four apparatus finals.

A few hours after these qualifications, she had posted on Instagram a disturbing message for her supporters: "I sometimes feel like I am carrying the weight of the world on my shoulders," she wrote.

See this post on Instagram

A post shared by Simone Biles (@simonebiles)

Outstanding champion, 24-year-old Biles has five Olympic and 25 world medals to her name.

Biles can join the Soviet Larissa Latynina and her nine historic gold medals at the Tokyo Olympics.

She has not lost an all-around competition since 2013.   

With AFP

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