Simone Biles announces she’ll compete in the balance beam final

Simone Biles is back like she never left. The gymnast for Team USA has announced her return for the Balance Beam final in the Tokyo Olympics. 

We’ve heard all of the commentary surrounding Simone Biles’ pulling out of the competition during the Olympics. Biles didn’t give a definite answer on when she’d came back, but she made it clear as day why she chose to pull out.

Broken toes and kidney stones were some of the reasons for her choice (reminder: it’s her choice), but her mental health superseded all of this. Responses were all over the place, but the fact was that her body and mind took a toll from the competition of being a senior level gymnast.

Biles’ return would be on her terms and no one else’s.

Simone Biles chooses to return to competition in the Balance Beam final for the Olympics. Here’s what we should expect:

When we think of overcoming adversity, we think of Kerri Strug hoppling over to the vault to pull Team USA the gold in 1996. Now we look at this in a new light after Biles came forward… what if she followed Strug’s footsteps, but didn’t pull the same results? The answer is that there have been gymnasts who’ve suffered worse at the hands of putting matter over mind as told by Sports Illustrated. 

What we should expect is an evolved Biles, on and off of the beam. Her decision to return is something that stems from a sound mind and body. This is a story of overcoming a type of adversity that comes in a form that we may not see, but should still empathize with. No matter what type of medal hangs around her neck, she’s an Olympian and Champion of athleticism and mental health.

If there’s anyone who is more than qualified to take the weight of the world on her shoulders while on a four-inch-wide balance beam, it’s Biles.