Simone Biles withdraws from floor final at Tokyo Olympics

Dates: 23 July-8 August Time in Tokyo: BST +8
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American gymnast Simone Biles has withdrawn from Monday’s floor final at the Tokyo Olympics but is yet to make a decision on whether she will compete in the beam final on Tuesday.

She also withdrew from Sunday’s vault and uneven bars finals.

A tweet from USA Gymnastics said:external-link “We’re all behind you, Simone.”

It means Great Britain’s Jennifer Gadirova enters the floor final having been first reserve.

Biles had her lowest Olympic vault score in the opening rotation before withdrawing from the team final on 26 July.

She left the arena but returned to support her team-mates as the defending champions claimed silver behind the Russian Olympic Committee.

Team silver in Tokyo was Biles’ sixth Olympic medal and took her tally of Olympic and World Championship medals to 30.

Afterwards, Biles said: “After the performance I did, I just didn’t want to go on. I have to focus on my mental health. I just think mental health is more prevalent in sports right now.

“We have to protect our minds and our bodies and not just go out and do what the world wants us to do.

“I don’t trust myself as much any more. Maybe it’s getting older. There were a couple of days when everybody tweets you and you feel the weight of the world.

“We’re not just athletes. We’re people at the end of the day and sometimes you just have to step back.”

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source: bbc.com