Simone Biles is sharing insight into her personal struggles.
During this year’s Summer Games in Tokyo, 24-year-old Biles removed herself from four out of five event finals due to a case of the “twisties,” a disorienting condition athletes can experience when they lose air awareness, putting them at risk for injury when they land. She explained at the time that she withdrew from the competition to focus on her mental health, saying on social media that her “mind & body are simply not in sync.”
While appearing on the Today show Thursday, Biles got emotional with host Hoda Kotb as she expressed frustration in seeing other athletes able to perform moves she no longer can.
Kotb asked whether Biles still experiences the “twisties” while performing on the road for the Athleta Presents Gold Over America Tour alongside other top gymnasts.
“I don’t twist. I do … my signature moves on the floor, but that’s never affected me. Everything else just, like, weighs so heavy, and I watch the girls do it and it’s just, it’s not the same,” she said.
“Is that weird?” Kotb, 57, asked.
“Yeah. To do something that I’ve done forever and just not be able to do it because of everything I’ve gone through is really crazy because I love this sport so much,” Biles responded, holding back tears. “But it’s hard. I’m sorry. And I don’t think people understand the magnitude of what I go through.”
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SOURCE: PEOPLE, Benjamin VanHoose
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