"I was like, 'Is this really how my career ends?'"- Simone Biles opens up on facing 'trauma' at Tokyo Olympics

US gymnast Simone Biles's journey is an inspiration for those who have suffered mental health issues at some point. Biles recently opened up about facing trauma at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021.

Everyone was shocked when the decorated gymnast pulled herself out of the team final at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics due to "twisties." It is a condition in which athletes lose spatial awareness in the middle of their routine. Despite the criticism, Biles took a two-year break after the Tokyo Olympic Games.

In an interview with TODAY, she discussed the "trauma" she faced after the Tokyo Olympics.

"After Tokyo, I literally had not one ounce of belief in myself," she said. "You just don’t know if you can do it again. I was like, 'Is this really how my career ends?' That’s tragic."

She also talked about the trauma of her assault at the hands of Larry Nassar, a former Olympic team doctor who is now behind bars.

"I didn’t get the proper care before because I just thought I was OK," she said. "But your mind and body are the first ones to say, 'Actually, no.'"

Critics contrasted Simone Biles with another American gymnastics hero, Kerri Strug, when she decided to withdraw. Strug performed her second vault at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics while still nursing a badly injured left ankle from her previous one. She landed flawlessly, balancing on one foot, to help the United States women's gymnastics team win its first team gold medal in history.

Simone Biles re-explores that moment during her struggles at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics in the Netflix documentary "Simone Biles Rising," which was released on July 17.

Simone Biles comes back after the Tokyo Olympic withdrawal

Simone Biles at 2024 U.S. Olympic Team Trials – Gymnastics (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)

The leading gymnastics star is eyeing the Paris Olympics this summer. During her two-year break, Biles worked on her mental health and also gave evidence to Congress over the abuse she suffered from infamous team doctor Larry Nassar.

Biles tied the knot with the renowned former NFL star Jonathan Owens in that span. Frequently proclaimed the GOAT of her sport, she roared back to win her sixth all-around World Championship at the 2023 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Antwerp.

Biles outclassed all the gymnasts in the Paris Olympic team trials with a difference of six points. Her upcoming Olympic moment could be a historic one, just like Kerri Strug.