On Tuesday, U.S. gymnastics officials expressed their desire to alleviate the pressure on Simone Biles as she aims for six gold medals at the Paris Olympics. Chellsie Memmel, the technical leader for the U.S. women's team, emphasized that Biles should not feel as if the entire team is relying on her alone. She reassured reporters that Biles has the flexibility to choose whether to compete on all four apparatuses during the women's team final.
Memmel revealed that Biles’s coach, Cecile Landi, had discussed with the coaching staff whether the gymnast would need to participate in all four events. Landi was concerned about Biles's well-being, particularly after the athlete's mental health struggles became public during the Tokyo Olympics. Memmel confirmed that if Biles believes skipping an event would be in her best interest, the team supports that decision, acknowledging the contributions of the other four members of the team.
As Biles prepares to return to the Olympic stage in women’s qualifying on Sunday and the team final on Tuesday, she faces the scrutiny of a high-stakes competition. Her previous performances have been remarkable; she won four gold medals at the 2016 Rio Games but faced challenges in Tokyo, where she withdrew from several events before securing team silver and a bronze on the balance beam.
Memmel also highlighted that while the team values Biles’s contributions, they do not want her to feel like the sole pillar holding them together. She noted that Biles has been training well and is in a positive state, contributing significantly as a leader. As the team looks forward to the competition, Biles appeared relaxed during a recent workout session, performing impressively and showing support for fellow competitors, including 17-year-old Algerian gymnast Kaylia Nemour.
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