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Simone Biles might be the GOAT (greatest of all times), but we should never forget she is a human. Biles had a rocky time during her preliminary round at the Tokyo Olympics, but now she is ready to leave those errors in the past to have a “fresh start” for the upcoming event finals.
The five-time Olympic medalist took social media to reflect on her performance after the first day. “Prelims ☑️ now to prepare for finals. It wasn‘t an easy day or my best, but I got through it,” Biles wrote, referring to her floor and vault routines on Sunday, July 25.
“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!” the 24-year-old athlete said. “BUT I’m happy my family was able to be with me virtually🤍 they mean the world to me!” Biles concluded.
Immediately after she shared her post, fans of the sports star filled the comment section with supportive messages, including Olympians Allyson Felix and Nastia Liukin. “We are all so proud of you already! You are authentically enough. You got this,” Felix wrote.
“I feel like at times, people forget that even the very best in the world are still human - with hearts, nerves, pain, stress, anxiety, pressure,” said Liukin, known for her incredible participation at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
“So let’s continue to spread our love and support to our athletes who are doing something SO difficult already, and then having to also handle the weight of an entire nation and world on their shoulders during a pandemic without fans. AND their number one supporters, their family,” Liukin added.
Gymnasts of Team USA (Biles, Jordan Chiles, Sunisa Lee, and Grace McCallum) finished second after the Russian Olympic Committee.
“I feel we did a pretty good job. Obviously, there are little things we need to work on, so we‘ll go back and practice and work on that, just so we can do our best performance at team finals because that’s what matters,” Biles said. “We’re really striving for a top-three [finish].”
Jordan Chiles also shared on Instagram how she feels after her first day competing at the Olympic Summer Games. “Yesterday wasn‘t the meet of my life, but I do have to say I learned a lot from it and ready to go out and show the world why I am here. Thank you to everyone, from my family all the way to my fans. I appreciate you!!!! LETS GO,” she wrote.
“Officially an olympian. 🌟” wrote Lee on social media. “Feeling proud and blessed. thank you to everyone who has shown me nothing but their love and support. the hardest part is done, time to show out. lets go TEAM USA💙.”
The gymnasts will compete one more time on Tuesday, July 27, and again on Thursday, July 29.