Simone Biles has 11 Olympic medals and 30 World Championship wins. She is often considered one of the best gymnasts of all time. Still, even she has to deal with negativity online.
“That was hard for me to wrap my head around, [but] since we are competing on a global stage, there is going to be feedback,” Biles, 28, told the crowd eager to hear her speak during her first visit to Hong Kong last month.
Reading such harsh remarks can be difficult for her, and replying to them only puts her in a negative mindset, so she has learned to protect herself.
“When I’m not mentally well enough to read the comments, I turn them off or ignore them,” she said. She also reminds herself that many of these people are strangers: “They don’t know me, and they don’t know my character, so how can they judge through a screen?”
During the one-hour event hosted by UBS, Biles spoke to more than 500 students – many of them budding gymnasts – about her record-breaking career and maintaining her mental health under so much public pressure.
As a professional athlete, taking care of your mental health is just as important as your physical health, Biles explained.
“Elite athletes [face] a lot of mental effort to step onto the big stage and compete for your country. Obviously, it’s such an honour, but it can be really tough,” she said.
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Knowing when to step back
The training schedule of a professional athlete is gruelling: Biles and her team train 32 to 34 hours a week. They do two workouts on weekdays and one on Saturday, taking only Sunday off.
Considering how much time is spent training, Biles stunned the world at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 when she withdrew from several events, including the team final, all-around final, and individual event finals.
The reason for her decision was a mental condition called the “twisties”, a term gymnasts use to describe the feeling of losing perception of their bodies while in the air.
Having the twisties can make them feel like their rhythm is off and that they are not in control of their movements – and it can lead to serious injuries.
Biles looks back on the experience – and the way she prioritised her mental health – positively.
“I think the mental health journey is something so unique and special, and it’s very personal to you, but really, it’s the most courageous I’ve ever felt,” she said. “The number one reason why I did it was to speak out and stand up for myself. And for the first time, I felt worth more than gold, and that people could relate to me.”
Having a strong support system helped her feel confident about her decision: “My team, my family, the nurses and doctors and the mental health specialists, they all understood, and we were all on the same page that this was the correct move,” she said.
“Having people in your circle of trust that help you and you can confide in really, really helps,” she explained. “If I’m ever having a bad day, they let me have bad days, and they cheer me up. On the good days, they still uplift me.”
Just three years later, Biles competed at the 2024 Paris Olympics, winning three gold medals and one silver.
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Meaning of mentorship
Outside of gymnastics, Biles is also passionate about supporting children in the foster care community.
When she was only three years old, she and her siblings entered foster care because their biological mother was struggling with substance abuse. After a few years, Biles was adopted by her grandfather and his wife.
“I never let what happened to me stop me from believing in my dreams,” she said. “It doesn’t matter how you start; it matters where your journey takes you and how you walk that path.”
For the last few years, she has worked with Friends of the Children. The organisation partners with community organisations, schools, and foster care systems to pair children in need of long-term, nurturing relationships with an older friend who acts as their mentor.
Biles said the organisation has expanded from around four chapters to more than 40 across the US during her involvement.
“A lot of people think that foster kids can’t do great things, but I think we’ve proven over so many years [we can]. Never let that determine who you are,” she said.
Students who listened to her story said they were inspired. Fifteen-year-old Ila Chan, who has been on the Hong Kong gymnastics team since she was nine, said her biggest takeaway was learning how to cope with stress and handle high-pressure situations.
“She should keep going because she’s an idol for lots of people around the world,” Ila said.
Meanwhile, Lexie Rhodes, 12, who has been doing gymnastics for around five years, said she felt encouraged to recharge, saying she learned the importance of letting off steam and taking the time to relax.
Biles appreciates the chance to serve as a role model and encourage young people, especially aspiring athletes. She offered up a tip for staying motivated and avoiding burnout: make sure you’re always having fun.
“You never know how long your career is gonna last,” she said. “So I would say to just have fun. Dream big, and then dream bigger after that. As long as you’re having fun, you can accomplish anything and love what you do.”
