“Couldn’t stop shaking,” Simone Biles talks about having panic attacks prior to Olympic all-around final in gymnastics 

Simone Biles opens up about juggling Olympic tension and fan expectations amid the Paris Olympic finals.

“Couldn’t stop shaking,” Simone Biles talks about having panic attacks prior to Olympic all-around final in gymnastics 

Simone Biles [Image Credit: Imago]

Olympian Simone Biles in a recent TikTok video admitted having panic attacks before Olympic all-around finals in gymnastics. In the video, she answered questions about her followers where she opened up about the mental pressure of not only performing in the Olympic stage but also juggling between fan expectations.

She said that she can’t even go to the cafeteria too often as fans start swarming around her. While in a positive way, she loves and feeds off of their love and support, she admits it sometimes gets daunting.

YouTube video

Biles, one of the most decorated gymnast of all-time, returned to the Olympic stage after quitting mid-way in Tokyo 2021 due to “twisties”. She fell down to mental pressure and even thought of quitting gymnastics.

FS Video

Her debut in the Olympics 2024 put her in a whole celebrity spotlight as everyone admired her mental strength, and confidence to come back again. However, her being one of the biggest names of the 2024 Paris Games came with its backdrops too:

...the first day that we got here, I got to the cafeteria and lots of people were asking me for photos, like non-stop. Whenever I sat down to eat, my anxiety was so bad I was shaking, and I couldn't stop shaking and I'm so overwhelmed.
Simone Biles as per Ben Strauss of ClutchPoints.

She further added that she avoid going to the cafeteria for days on and just stocks up food to have when needed. The day she got crowded, was because she went outside to meet a friend.

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Simone Biles on Paris Olympics expectations and mental health

Since returning to the sports world, Simone Biles has awed both her fans and competitors with record-breaking performances one after the other. She won her seventh Olympic gold medal in the latest vault final at the Paris Games.

Simone Biles [Image Credit: Imago]
Simone Biles [Image Credit: Imago]

In her journey from the Tokyo 2020 incident to a positively overwhelming 2024 Paris Olympics performance, she has time and again shown what it means to be an Olympian, especially herself. Biles thanked her therapist, coach, family, friends, and fans for being there for her when she needed them the most. 

After Tokyo incident, Biles got criticized a lot but she stood back up and proved to be an idol worthy of everyone. Simone Biles also spoke about how mental health can be derogatory for an athlete and how everyone should pay close attention to themselves.

She advocated for mental health, claiming there’s nothing as important as the health of one’s own body. After suffering from “twisties” herself and overcoming her crisis, she became a role model for many.

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