Simone Biles On Start List for Olympics Beam Final

Simone Biles is on the starting list for the Olympics beam final, USA Gymnastics has announced.

The American world-record breaking gymnast has pulled out of a number of events over mental health concerns, but it looks like her Games isn't over yet.

Biles withdrew from the individual all-around, vault, bars and floor finals, making the beam final tomorrow (Tuesday 3 August) her last opportunity to compete in Tokyo.

The 24-year-old is a four-time Olympic gold medallist and is considered one of the greatest gymnasts of all time.

Biles thanked athletes and supporters for the 'outpouring love' after she made the difficult decision to pull out of events.

She said: "The outpouring love & support I've received has made me realize I'm more than my accomplishments and gymnastics which I never truly believed before."

On the day before her appearance in the team final, she had shared an uncharacteristically personal message about the pressures she has faced on her journey to the top, as well as being the face of Team USA at the Games.

She wrote: "It wasn't an easy day or my best but I got through it.

"I truly do feel like I have the weight of the world on my shoulders at times.

"I know I brush it off and make it seem like pressure doesn't affect me but damn sometimes it's hard hahaha!

"The Olympics is no joke! BUT I'm happy my family was able to be with me virtually.

"They mean the world to me!"

Biles released a statement on Twitter back in 2018, confirming she was one of the people who had been abused by former USA Gymnastics physician Larry Nassar.

Nassar is currently serving 60 years in federal prison on child pornography charges, and has additionally been sentenced to up to 175 years in Michigan state prison after pleading guilty to seven counts of criminal sexual conduct.

Speaking last month about the trauma stemming from the abuse, Biles said: "I slept all the time and it's because sleeping was basically better than offing myself.

"It was like my way to escape reality, and sleeping was like the closest thing to death for me at that point. So I just slept all the time."

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Topics: SPORT, olympics

Jake Massey

Jake Massey is a journalist at LADbible. He graduated from Newcastle University, where he learnt a bit about media and a lot about living without heating. After spending a few years in Australia and New Zealand, Jake secured a role at an obscure radio station in Norwich, inadvertently becoming a real-life Alan Partridge in the process. From there, Jake became a reporter at the Eastern Daily Press. Jake enjoys playing football, listening to music and writing about himself in the third person.

@jakesmassey