For four of the Olympic team members, nobody more so than Simone Biles, the Tokyo Games didn’t go as well as they had hoped. They waited three years for another chance, and this time, the Americans cruised through the team final, reasserting their dominance on the Olympic stage with a massive margin of nearly six points ahead of second-place Italy.

The last time Biles competed in an Olympic team final, an unsettling mental block forced her to withdraw from the meet. The last time she performed here in Paris, a minor calf injury flared up mid-competition. She had no such trouble Tuesday. For the Americans, the team final was pleasantly uneventful. The gymnasts methodically delivered one solid routine after another, and by the end, they were celebrating with an American flag on the floor.

Simone Biles wouldn’t be on the mat if she didn’t spend time on the couch, she explained at this year’s Olympics in Paris. 

As the most decorated gymnast in history, Biles knows keenly what it’s like to have an immense amount of pressure on her. She’s had the world’s gimlet-eyed gaze on her multiple times, after all. Biles came to this summer’s Olympics already setting records, currently holding the title as the oldest women’s gymnast to compete since the 1950s. While this isn’t Biles’ first rodeo, she’s making sure to play the high-stakes game a little differently this time around— on her terms.

“Being in a good mental spot, seeing my therapist every Thursday is kind of religious for me. So that’s why I’m kind of here today,” Biles said late last month after making the Olympic team. 

The iconic gymnast made strides after the last Olympics, making a concerted effort not just to work on her mental health, but also to share insight about her journey publically to assuage stigma. She has also come forward as a survivor of sexual abuse of disgraced former national gymnastics team doctor Larry Nassar, explaining “it could help a lot of people. Four years ago, Biles made headlines after dropping out of the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo due to what is called the “the twisties.”

The ailment is known as a disconnect between the brain and body which makes gymnasts disoriented. Biles’ candor regarding the toll that this condition took and her decision to leave catapulted her into a new type of spotlight: that of a mental-health advocate. 

“We also have to focus on ourselves, because at the end of the day we’re human, too,” she said after leaving the competition. “So, we have to protect our mind and our body, rather than just go out there and do what the world wants us to do.” 

Not only is Biles stepping into the arena with a newfound dedication to her well-being, she’s also making sure to look after her teammates. Biles provided advice to fellow gymnast Suni Lee after she struggled during her routine. Having gone through the exact same situation, Biles said she knew Lee needed support. She explained that’s exactly what she gave her, adding “ I know how traumatizing it is, especially on a big stage like this. I didn’t want her to get in her head.”

Her newly released Netflix documentary, Simone Biles Rising, further pushes back the curtain behind the trying experience that is competing on a national stage. Giving context to her re-emergence in the Olympics, Biles opened up about her process in going to therapy and dealing with past trauma. 

Showing the screen her tattoo of Maya Angelou’s words, Biles says she’s not backing down from what she’s gone through. Rather, she’s letting it fuel her. “‘And still I rise’ is perfect,” she adds. “I feel like that’s kind of the epitome of my career and life story. I always rise to the occasion; even after all of the traumas and the downfalls, I’ve always risen.”

Italy claimed second and Brazil broke British hearts to win bronze.

  1. United States: 171.296
  2. Italy: 165.494
  3. Brazil: 164.497
  4. Britain: 164.263
  5. Canada: 162.432
  6. China: 162.131
  7. Romania: 159.497
  8. Japan: 159.463