American Simone Biles will return for balance beam final at Tokyo Olympics

Simone Biles competes during her qualifying round on the balance beam at Ariake Gymnastics Centre at the Tokyo Olympic Games in Tokyo on July 25, 2021. Photo by Richard Ellis/UPI

Aug. 2 (UPI) — U.S. gymnastics officials said Monday that star gymnast Simone Biles will compete in Tuesday’s balance beam final at the Tokyo Olympics, which will be her final event at the 2020 Summer Games.

Biles’ return to the competition comes after she withdrew from several events last week, citing mental health issues.

USA Gymnastics made the announcement Monday on Twitter, saying Biles will compete in the event alongside her U.S. teammate Suni Lee, who won the gold in the individual all-around.

“We are so excited to confirm that you will see two U.S. athletes in the balance beam final tomorrow — Suni Lee AND Simone Biles!! Can’t wait to watch you both,” the organization said.

Biles first withdrew from the women’s team gymnastics competition last week following her first rotation on the vault.

The next day, USA Gymnastics said she would not compete in the individual all-around gymnastics final, an event she won during the 2016 Summer Olympics, due to mental health concerns. Biles then withdrew from the vault, uneven bars and floor exercise finals.

On Instagram, prior to withdrawing from the events, she said she felt the weight of the world on her shoulders.

“I know I brush it off and make it seem like pressure doesn’t affect me but damn sometimes it’s hard,” she wrote.

Following an outpouring of support, Biles released a statement on Twitter and said the episodes have made her realize that “I’m more than my accomplishments and gymnastics, which I never truly believed before.”

Biles has won six medals in Olympic career, including four golds.

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