Simone Biles is opening up about confronting her fears ahead of her return to the 2024 Olympics.
In June, the seven-time Olympic gold medalist announced her return to the Olympics after dropping out in 2020 due to a bout of the twisties, a condition where gymnasts lose control of their bodies while twisting in the air.
One month after confirming her return, the newly married gymnast hosted a Q&A on her Instagram Stories on July 30, and spoke candidly about handling the twisties this time around.
“What’s your hardest even to come back to?” one user asked.
“It’s always bars…mentally & physically. But this go around…BABY!!! Twisting on any event. Iykyk,” Biles wrote in response.
“Mainly because when the twisties happen, you go right into the gym and work on it,” she continued. “I took over a year off and THEN came back…So I was petrified. But I’m fine. I’m twisting again. No worries. All is good.”
Biles will make her debut on Aug. 5 in the U.S. Classic at NOW Arena in Hoffman Estates, Illinois, the New York Post reports. It’ll be her first time competing since exiting the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
The decorated gymnast faced backlash when she withdrew from the Olympics to focus on her health. A year later, she discussed how she was feeling in another Instagram Q&A, noting that her “mind and body are simply not in sync.”
“I don’t think you realize how dangerous this is on hard/competitive surface,” Biles wrote.
“Nor do I have to explain why I put my health first. Physical health is mental health,” the 4-foot-8 Texan added.
She also shared videos of her attempting to dismount on uneven bars.
“For anyone saying I quit. I didn’t quit my mind & body are simply not in sync. As you can see here,” she wrote.
Now Biles is back and ready to reclaim her title at the 2024 Olympics in Paris.
RELATED CONTENT: Simone Biles Is Ready To Reclaim Her Title As She Gears Up For Her Epic Return At The 2024 Olympics