London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Oct 01, 2026

Simone Biles Said Putting Her Mental Health First At The Olympics Will Likely Be One Of Her "Greatest Accomplishments"

Simone Biles Said Putting Her Mental Health First At The Olympics Will Likely Be One Of Her "Greatest Accomplishments"

"To have mental health be talked about more in sports is really nice because at the end of the day, we are humans before athletes," Biles said.

Simone Biles said that her decision to withdraw from several events at the Olympics to focus on her mental health will likely go down as one of her "greatest accomplishments."

Biles reflected on her experience in Tokyo during a Zoom call Saturday with President Joe Biden, first lady Jill Biden, and fellow Team USA athletes.

"The Olympics was not how I expected it to go, but putting my mental and my physical health first will probably be one of my greatest accomplishments," Biles said.


Speaking from his home in Delaware, the president congratulated the Olympic athletes for their performance. He also thanked them for representing the US in the Summer Games, saying they made him and the country proud.

"When you get knocked down by an opponent on track and you stop and go back and pick him up and walk to the finish line with him, c’mon. That’s what America’s supposed to be about," Biden said, referring to the moment US runner Isaiah Jewett and Nijel Amos of Botswana fell during the 800-meter race, then helped each other up and jogged to the finish line together.

Isaiah Jewett of the US and Nijel Amos of Botswana


"You represented every single thing that we stand for," Biden added. "You really did."

The president also specifically called out swimmer Katie Ledecky and Biles for the courage they showed while under so much "psychological pressure."

Jewett and Biles then shared their reflections on the difficult moments they faced during the competition.

"At the end of the day, we’re all people and we all go through the same nervousness, and we all go through the same pains, so might as well finish what we started," Jewett said.

Biles, who left in the middle of the gymnastics team final and backed out of the individual all-around competition to focus on her mental health, said that earlier in her career, she would probably have been "too stubborn" to take a step back. The 24-year-old added that she was proud of the way her teammates handled her withdrawal during the team final.

"To have mental health be talked about more in sports is really nice because at the end of the day, we are humans before athletes," she said.

After missing several events, Biles — the most decorated gymnast in the world — returned to the competition Tuesday for the balance beam final and won the bronze medal.

Biden said Biles' choice to prioritize her mental health on the biggest stage in the world set an important example for so many people — not just athletes.

"And guess what? You got back up on that damn beam," the president said before joking about his own athleticism. "I tell you what — doing a flip on a 4-inch beam is my idea of going to purgatory. I'd try most anything else before I’d try that."

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Southwest England Faces Flood Alerts After Heavy Autumn Storms
UK Expands Funding for Rapid Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure
Welsh Government Approves Funding to Upgrade South Wales Transport
Northern Ireland Tensions Rise as Orange Order Rejects Drumcree Compromise
NHS Leaders Back Early Design of Proposed National Care Service
More Than One-Third of Regional UK Universities Face Financial Deficits
UK Current Account Deficit Narrows as Cross-Border Financial Flows Remain Strong
Bank of England and FCA Issue New Rules for Stablecoins and Digital Assets
MI5 Warns UK Universities Over Research Links With Chinese Institutions
UK Energy Price Cap Rises 4% as Electricity VAT Is Temporarily Suspended
Equity Calls for UK Personality Rights to Protect Performers From AI Replication
OpenAI Pauses Advanced Model Training Following Safety Concerns
Scottish Government Proposes Replacing 32 Councils With Larger Regional Authorities
Ofgem Raises UK Household Energy Price Cap by 4% From October
UK Counter-Terrorism Police Continue Investigation After Five Arrests Near RAF Fairford
OECD Cuts UK 2027 Growth Forecast to 1%
Labour Says State Pension Triple Lock Remains Protected Through Current Parliament
Andy Burnham Pledges National Care Service With Free Social Care in England
Six Flags Permanently Shuts Landmark X2 Roller Coaster Following Safety Scandals
Metropolitan Police Rule Out Terrorism in Golders Green Stabbing Investigation
Lithium-Ion Battery Identified as Cause of Fatal Merseyside House Fire
UK Department Rejects New Sea Use Framework Due to Stakeholder Fatigue
Major Thames Water Pipe Burst Causes School Closures in London
Aldi Commits £900 Million to Expand UK Supermarket Network
Scottish Affairs Committee Warns Skills Shortages Threaten Defence Sector Expansion
Parliamentary Committee Warns Northern Ireland Budget Deadlock is Stalling Economic Growth
NHS Hospitals in England Face Severe Shortages of Essential Medications
Home Secretary Signals Major Overhaul of UK Immigration and Leave to Remain Policies
Chancellor Promises New Job Schemes Alongside Strict Fiscal Discipline
Energy Secretary Proposes Taxpayer-Funded Green Transition and National Electricity Grid
UK Government to Renationalise Avanti West Coast Railway Franchise in March
Prime Minister Andy Burnham Pledges Major Social Care and Infrastructure Reforms
Five Suspects Released on Bail Following Alleged Bomb Plot Near RAF Fairford
UK Diesel Prices Hit Record High of 199p Per Litre
Transport for Wales and Network Rail Complete Electrification of South Wales Metro
Defra Expands Incentives for Sustainable Farming and Biodiversity in England
Northern Ireland Executive Approves Funding Package to Resolve Public Sector Pay Disputes
Universities UK Warns of Financial Insolvency Risks for Higher Education Institutions
UK Prisons Activate Emergency Protocols to Manage Capacity Pressures
UK Government Establishes New Safety Standards for Frontier AI Models
Home Office Tightens Skilled Worker Visa Requirements and Dependent Rules
Ministry of Defence Restructures Royal Navy Frigate Procurement to Prevent Overruns
UK Government Mandates New Housing Targets to Address National Shortage
UK and Scottish Governments Reach Agreement on North Sea Energy Transition
NHS Launches Digital Overhaul to Reduce Surgical Backlogs in England
Bank of England Holds Interest Rates as Service Sector Inflation Persists
UK Chancellor Announces Fiscal Consolidation Measures to Stabilize National Debt
RNLI Chief Executive Condemns Misinformation and Abuse Targeting Volunteer Crews
Metropolitan Police Charge Swindon Man with Assisting Foreign Intelligence Services
British Intelligence Report Warns Environmental Collapse Threatens Global Defense Infrastructure
×