Gymnast Simone Biles will return to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics on Tuesday, Aug. 3, after making headlines for quitting due to the “twisties.”
The 24-year-old star was heavily criticized for abandoning her teammates after she landed awkwardly on the vault during the team finals and claimed she quit due to mental health issues.
READ ALSO: Simone Biles and NFL boyfriend are Instagram official
The balance beam is Simone’s last chance to win a medal at the Tokyo Olympics – USA Gymnastics officials confirmed on Twitter on Monday: “We are so excited to confirm that you will see two U.S. athletes in the balance beam final tomorrow – Suni Lee AND Simone Biles!! Can’t wait to watch you both!”
Simone previously won bronze on the beam at the Rio Olympics in 2016.
Explaining her decision to pull out of the events earlier in the Tokyo tournament, Simone revealed that she has been suffering from the “twisties” – which many gymnasts describe as a form of mental block that stems from disorientation during tumbles and somersaults.
Her error resulted in a low score of 13.766 for the team, opening the door for Russia to win the gold.
Team USA fans complained that Biles is a narcissist who spends more time taking Instagram photos with her boyfriend, NFL player Jonathan Owens, than she does practicing for the Olympics.
Sunisa “Suni” Lee, from Saint Paul, Minnesota, won a gold medal during the all-around final on July 29, recording the highest uneven bars score of the day. She is the first Hmong-American to win an Olympic gold medal.
After Simone dropped out, Suni, 18, scored 15.400 (tying the highest mark of the competition), and helped Team USA win silver behind the Russians.
