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US gymnast Biles does a somersault, pulls out

Meenakshi Rao

Day 5
Tokyo Olympics
My View
US gymnast Simone Biles

How often have you heard about an athlete at her peak retiring midway into on Olympic Gold medal bid, that too without any physical injury whatsoever? Well, US gymnast Simone Biles, the face of the Tokyo Olympics, did exactly that after just one vault wobble and an air twist which somersaulted 1.5 times instead of 2.5 times.

Reminds me of my favourite cricketer Adam Gilchrist who decided to announce his retirement from international cricket only because he failed to grab one catch behind the wickets due to what he called was his body’s delayed response dive.

While Gilchrist announced it after the match and set a time for his retirement, 24-year-old Biles withdrew from the team event without a premise, to take care of herself and what she said were mental issues. A talk with her coach after the vault performance, she hugged her team-mates and just walked away as the team completed the event. The fallout? America lost that team event Gold to Russia and had to settle for Silver in the absence of their power-puff girl rounding it off.

 

As I see it, it takes immense mind control to be able to even voice the desire to walk away from the big stage when the weight of a nation’s sporting campaign rests on your shoulders.

On the flip side, critics would say, five times champion Biles was merely protecting her loss of form and walking away mid-event was her last-ditch effort to maintain her fairy tale image which could have been sullied by defeat, thanks to her unpreparedness.

Whatever may be the case, the incident is applaudable on two counts. One that Biles could actually go through it and, two, that her federation actually allowed her to sit out midway and cheer, fully knowing the Gold would be wrested from them.

Imagine an Indian athlete even thinking of this in their wildest dreams, let alone mid-event? It’s like our hockey queen Rani Rampal saying, “I am having a panic attack so I shall not play till the Finals!” Or, for that matter, Deepa Karmakar refusing the Produnova in the Gold round, saying her mental health does not permit her to take on the danger!

In this respect, the US sporting mindset seems truly liberal and entirely accommodating which, in itself, is a platinum achievement. One hears that the US team’s doctor brigade is watching over Biles for now to patch up the cracks and she may well come back for the individual competition if they and she feel fit.

 

Back in India, it would have been a situation fit for a witch-hunt, a public outcry and a ban of the athlete, for mental issues are considered no issues at all. But then, the US is in a position to not be desperate for a medal, unlike India where even a slim chance or no chance at all can’t make an athlete walk away.

But one thing can never be denied. Simone has gone through a tough — very tough — life, punctuated by sexual harassment, kidney issues and the like. She is and will always be a champion, even if she is perceived to have quit on her team. The lady must have her reasons. Some day, the outraged global fans will understand.