Simone Biles Has Exited the Team Final at Tokyo Olympics 2020

tokyo, japan july 27 simone biles of team united states is embraced by coach cecile landi during the women's team final on day four of the tokyo 2020 olympic games at ariake gymnastics centre on july 27, 2021 in tokyo, japan photo by ezra shawgetty images

(Image credit: Ezra Shaw)

published 27 July 2021

Simone Biles has exited the gymnastics team final on day four of the Tokyo Olympics after performing on the vault. USA Gymnastics issued the following statement:

"Simone has withdrawn from the team final competition due to a medical issue. She will be assessed daily to determine medical clearance for future competitions."

Though the exact medical issue is unclear, the 24-year-old seemed to have a tough landing and was spotted leaving the mat with one of the team's trainers. When she returned, she began cheering on her teammates on the sidelines as she watched them perform their routines. Biles's teammate Jordan Chiles replaced Biles on the uneven bars and the beam. The team ended up taking home the silver medal.

Olympian Laurie Hernandez, Biles's 2016 teammate and an Olympics analyst on The Today Show, initially emphasized on air that nobody should speculate about Biles's reported medical issue and encouraged Biles's teammates to continue supporting her no matter what.

Later on, Biles told The Today Show's Hoda Kotb that she's in good shape physically, but emotionally it varies, and she's unsure if she'll compete in the individual all-around competition this Thursday. "Physically, I feel good, I'm in shape. Emotionally, that kind of varies on the time and moment," she said. "Coming here to the Olympics and being the head star isn't an easy feat, so we're just trying to take it one day at a time and we'll see."

At a press conference that evening, Biles stated that she aims to focus on her wellbeing. "There's more to life than just gymnastics...we'll take it one day at a time and we're going to see how the rest goes."

Rachel Epstein is a writer, editor, and content strategist based in New York City. Most recently, she was the Managing Editor at Coveteur, where she oversaw the site’s day-to-day editorial operations. Previously, she was an editor at Marie Claire, where she wrote and edited culture, politics, and lifestyle stories ranging from op-eds to profiles to ambitious packages. She also launched and managed the site’s virtual book club, #ReadWithMC. Offline, she’s likely watching a Heat game or finding a new coffee shop.