‘I Felt So Ashamed’- Simone Biles Says People Were Pissed During Her Record-Breaking Run at Rio Olympics

Simone Biles talks about her experience at the Rio Olympics in 2016, in an interview with Sports Illustrated. The 19-year-old won the Olympics on her first appearance and felt overwhelmed.  

Winning the sport’s greatest achievement at such a young age brings a lot of attention and pressure with it. “At 19, you win the Olympics What else is there?” Biles said.

Simone Biles practices uneven bars during the U.S. Women’s Olympic Gymnastics trials in St Louis, Missouri, U.S. June 25, 2021. REUTERS/Lindsey Wasson

Read more: Who Holds the Most Number of Gold Medals in Athletics at Olympics?

“Everybody had such high expectations for me that at the end of the day, I feel like it didn’t matter what I did, as long as I satisfied everybody around me,” Biles says.

“I was so happy that I even medaled because of the mistake that I had,” Biles says, “but I felt so ashamed because people were pissed off that I ruined their [headline] of five gold medals.”

Simone Biles battling her inner demons

In the interview, Simone Biles talked about how she would self-sabotage during her workouts at the gym. She did it because she feared her own potential and she feared failing. The entire world expected her to be perfect at all times and that is really hard when you’re a young athlete.

Biles spoke about how not being eligible for the London Olympics was a blessing in disguise. She considered herself a very mediocre gymnast back then and said she wasn’t emotionally ready to compete on the big stage.

Even when she won the four golds and one bronze in Rio, people were upset at her for not winning all five golds. 

Possible record-breaking run at the Tokyo Olympics

Her near-perfect run at the Rio Olympics was not to be, as the American looks to defend all her medals at Tokyo. This time Simone Biles will look to go for all 5 gold medals and make history. 

Simone Biles is spotted by her coach Laurent Landi as she competes on uneven bars during the final day of women’s competition in the U.S. Olympic Team Trials for gymnastics in St. Louis, Missouri, U.S., June 27, 2021. Picture taken June 27, 2021. REUTERS/Lindsey Wasson

The Ohio-born gymnast will most probably take part in her last Olympics in Tokyo. She is only 24, which is considered young in other sports.

In gymnastics, however, no woman at the age of 24 has won gold at the Olympics. That is another record Biles will try to break. How do you think Biles will do at the Tokyo Olympics, do let us know your thoughts?

The post ‘I Felt So Ashamed’- Simone Biles Says People Were Pissed During Her Record-Breaking Run at Rio Olympics appeared first on EssentiallySports.