Dates: 23 July-8 August Time in Tokyo: BST +8Protection: Watch reside on BBC TV, BBC iPlayer, BBC Crimson Button and on-line; Pay attention on BBC Radio 5 Reside, Sports activities Further and Sounds; reside textual content and video clips on BBC Sport web site and app.
American gymnast Simone Biles was praised for prioritising “psychological wellness over all else” after pulling out of the Olympic girls’s crew remaining.
The pinnacle of the US Olympic crew, many gymnasts, and different sportspeople had been amongst these to reward Biles’ resolution.
The 24-year-old withdrew from the occasion after her vault, saying: “I’ve to give attention to my psychological well being.”
“You’ve got made us so proud,” mentioned Sarah Hirshland, chief government of the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee.
“We applaud your resolution to prioritise your psychological wellness over all else and give you the total assist and sources of our Group USA neighborhood as you navigate the journey forward.”
The US had been favourites for gold after successful 5 successive world titles – in 2011, 2014, 2015, 2018 and 2019 – along with back-to-back Olympic gold medals in London and Rio.
After scoring 13.766 – her lowest Olympic vault rating – Biles left the sector, however returned to assist her team-mates as they took silver behind the Russian Olympic Committee, with Nice Britain claiming bronze.
Biles is a 30-time Olympic and World Championship medallist, and wishes 4 podium finishes in Tokyo to develop into probably the most embellished gymnast – male or feminine – in historical past.
She is broadly known as the ‘GOAT’ (Best Of All Time).
Jamaica gymnast Danusia Francis mentioned: “Do not find out about you however I believe Simone Biles simply empowered everybody to place their psychological wellbeing above every thing else. What a queen. GOAT in additional methods than one.”
Former Nice Britain gymnast Beth Tweddle, a bronze medallist in 2012, mentioned on BBC One: “Since 2013 she’s been undefeated within the all-around so each competitors she goes in, everybody expects her to be perfection, and it is simply not doable.
“She was robust sufficient to say: ‘I am simply not proper at present and I’ve received the idea in the remainder of the ladies. They know they will step up, that they will do their routines.’
“And she or he went again in, she was their chief cheerleader, and he or she was getting the chalk for them. That exhibits how a lot of a frontrunner she is, to have the ability to make that call.
“We’ve received to ensure that the well being and wellbeing of each athlete is the principle precedence.”
France gymnast Melanie de Jesus dos Santos mentioned: “We aren’t used to seeing Simone Biles like this. I wish to say that it’s not simple as a result of she is Simone Biles and everyone seems to be watching her. It is so tough psychologically for her.”
Japan gymnast Mai Murakami added: “That is very uncommon for her, however for those who’re below plenty of stress it might have an effect on your physique.”
Second place introduced Biles her sixth Olympic medal, and he or she additionally received 19 world titles between 2013 and 2019.
She has reached all 5 particular person finals in Tokyo and is undecided on whether or not she is going to compete in her subsequent occasion on Thursday, when she is going to try to develop into the primary lady to retain the Olympic all-around title since 1968.
“We’ll see,” she mentioned. “We’ll take it a day at a time and see what occurs.”
Jordan Chiles, 20, changed Biles within the girls’s crew remaining, and mentioned: “That was an enormous factor. These had been positively some massive sneakers that I needed to fill and I am very completely satisfied that I used to be in a position to try this.
“Sure, she is the GOAT. I used to be in a position to present the world that not solely are you able to fill superb folks’s sneakers however we additionally did this collectively as effectively.”
Group-mate Sunisa Lee, 18, added: “We had been all so confused. We actually did not know in that second. She’s freaking Simone Biles. She carries the crew mainly.
“After we form of needed to step as much as the plate and do what we needed to do, it was very laborious and nerve-racking. However I am very happy with us as a result of we did that.”
After returning to the sector, Simone Biles cheered on her team-mates and celebrated USA’s silver medal together with her substitute Jordan Chiles
‘Only a pleasant reminder: Olympic athletes are human’
Former Olympic champion and retired US gymnast Aly Raisman mentioned: “I really feel sick to my abdomen. It is horrible. I do know that each one of those athletes dream of this second for his or her entire whole lives so I am simply utterly devastated and simply hoping Simone’s OK.
“It is simply a lot stress, and I have been watching how a lot stress has been on her within the months main as much as the Video games – and it is simply devastating.
“Only a pleasant reminder: Olympic athletes are human they usually’re doing the perfect they will. It is actually laborious to peak on the proper second and do the routine of your life below such stress.”
Messages of assist for Biles additionally got here from different athletes – and figures exterior sport.
Boxer Manny Pacquiao mentioned “as soon as a champion, at all times a champion”, whereas US alpine skier and two-time Olympic gold medallist Mikaela Shiffrin added: “Maintain whipping out that smile of yours trigger it’s undeniably golden.”
Karl-Anthony Cities of NBA aspect Minnesota Timberwolves despatched “nothing however love and positivity”, whereas retired US determine skater Adam Rippon mentioned: “I am unable to think about the stress Simone has been feeling. Sending her a lot love. It is simple to overlook she’s nonetheless human.”
Jen Psaki, the White Home press secretary, mentioned: “Gratitude and assist are what Simone Biles deserves. Nonetheless the GOAT and we’re all simply fortunate to have the ability to see her in motion.”
Unicef USA tweeted: “Thanks for being a job mannequin and exhibiting the world it is OK to prioritise your psychological well being.”
