Simone Biles explains why she broke down at the end of 2024 Paris Olympics

American gymnastics icon Simone Biles recently shared why she broke down after her remarkable Paris Olympics campaign following the pressure that mounted on her after a disappointing 2021 Tokyo Olympics. Biles captured four medals at the 2024 Games, cementing her status as the most decorated Olympic gymnast in US history.

The 27-year-old made a historic comeback at this year's Summer Games in the French capital after withdrawing from the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 due to experiencing 'twisties'. At the Paris Games, Simone Biles not only claimed three individual medals, including a gold in individual all-around, a gold in the vault, and a silver in floor exercise but also helped the United States reclaim their team all-around title they had lost to the Republic of China at the Tokyo Games.

Reflecting on her Paris Olympics achievements, Simone Biles highlighted that she focused on the present, which ultimately became the reason for her success at the competition. Explaining how her accomplishment triggered an emotional release stemming from overcoming the immense pressure she had carried since Tokyo, Biles said (via Life&Style):

"At this moment, in my career, I feel like, if I had to process it, it would be bittersweet. I mean, we have been longing for this for a while now and now it’s here, it’s gone. Because I truly did try to enjoy each and every moment.

"But we took it one day at a time, and, for that, I’m grateful for. Now we’re here, and I’m like, ‘Well, I did it.’ And I think that’s why I got so emotional when we finished, and I just, like, had a breakdown. I felt a lot of relief, but now I’m like, ‘Oh my God.’ Like what happens in life now?"

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Simone Biles reflects on what she will miss the most when she steps away from gymnastics

Simone Biles at the Los Angeles Premiere Of Netflix's "Simone Biles Rising: Part 2" (Image via Getty)

Speaking about what she will miss the most about gymnastics after retirement, Biles talked about the 'freedom' and 'lessons' the sport has given her through the years (as mentioned in her docuseries Simone Biles Rising: Part 2):

"What I’ll miss most about gymnastics is the freedom with my body. The ability that I have in the gym is not normal, but I’ve had to work in other areas of my life, and that’s taught me the lessons and brought me to be who I am today," Biles said (as quoted by Life&Style).

The second season of her Netflix docuseries premiered on Wednesday in Los Angeles' The Egyptian Theatre Hollywood. The show was attended by many A-list athletes, including Casimir Schmidt, Nastia Liukin and Adam Rippon.