I agree with all you stated. However, they were not guaranteed gold medals. They got silver, which ain’t bad! Biles’ participation may have even risked that - we’ll never know.
As an aside, and not picking on you or anyone, but I really wish we’d collectively (especially in the media) stop thinking that anything less than a gold medal is a total and complete failure. The team won a sliver medal at the Olympics - I think most of them this is their first trip. And they are all so young, so there are likely more Olympics in store for them. Whatever is going on with Biles, not getting the team a gold medal should not be a concern for her (yes, I get that she has been built-up into a deity and has embraced it, but still).
If Biles wasn’t on form ( and I am no expert but her first vault was not good) but stayed with the team she could have wrecked their chances for any medals , standing down and letting someone else more capable and on form go was the right thing to do. I would doubt that decison was made in a vacuum.
I guess she will see how she feels over the next day and make appropriate calls on if she will or will not participate further.
In other news the men’s synchronized high dive had me “how the hell do they do that?” gawping. Very close between Great Britain and China , but several weeks of daylight between them and the rest of the field.
From a safety standpoint, if she wasn’t there and it meant she wasn’t sure of completing a routine, then she definitely should have quit because of the yips. Gymnastics are dangerous enough without that. I think there are reasonable questions that can be asked, including whether or not she should have even gone to Tokyo if she was in that much physical and mental pain, if she could have pulled out entirely before that vault, and how much external pressure has hurt. But I’m also getting tired of all these takes about how brave she is for pulling out. If you want mental health to be taken the same as physical health, then it’s ridiculous to say that stopping due to mental health is brave and stopping because of an injury is just sport.
If you have not watched the kayaking, where they slalom through gates down a very intense rapid river, you need to. It’s super impressive. Like, I’m so impressed with all of the people even doing it at all.
Yeah, she’s so good they had to ban moves named after her for fear people would injure themselves trying to replicate it (or is this exaggerated?) From my understanding she’s pretty clearly the best ever.
I’ve had some reports that discussion of Biles was getting off-topic. It’s my judgement as a moderator that “Summer Olympics 2021” is an awfully broad topic, and she’s an Olympic athlete, and so discussion of her is, in fact, on-topic. Carry on.
Worse, they placed second to the Russians, who aren’t allowed to compete as Russia due to doping-related sanctions. So they literally lost to a no-name team.
The margin of error on vaults is dangerously low. It may not have looked like it, but she almost killed herself attempting it. Gymnastics is one of the most inherently dangerous sports in the Olympics.
She said that she has no physical injury. She quit. Remember the Japanese gymnast who competed in his event with torn knee ligaments? Again, it this were a singles competition sure step away. But her teammates were depending on her.
Physical injuries are only one bona fide reason for withdrawing. Mental health issues are just as valid a reason. You seem to be assuming she let her teammates down without considering that she may not have been able to help it.
Since I cant remember a single athlete who did this at the last moment I am not convinced. This was a special time in the lives of her 3 teammates. Sometimes we have to suck it up and go out and do our best. Even if she wasnt at her best she would have been respected for giving her all for her teammates. This will look worse if she competes in her other events. Either way I wish her well.
My son who is a high school swimmer just asked me
“Do you know why nobody who wins the 200m Fly semi final looks happy?”
“No”
“Because they know they have to go and swim it again”
The idea that those suffering–and I don’t use that word lightly–from mental issues merely need to “suck it up” is rather sad and discouraging. I respect her for recognizing that she simply could not compete; that also sends a worthwhile message. I’m glad you wish her well, though.