Simone Biles tells CNN competing in Paris ‘meant the world’ after struggles in Tokyo

Simone Biles talks to CNN about the Paris Olympics, mental health and her spirit animals.

Simone Biles put on a show at the Paris Olympics and walked away with another three gold medals and a silver to add to her extraordinary collection. But the road to get to Paris wasn’t easy. At Tokyo 2020, Biles suddenly started suffering from the “twisties,” a mysterious phenomenon that suddenly means a gymnast is no longer able to do a twisting skill they’ve done thousands of times before. Biles told CNN Sport’s Coy Wire that her return to the Olympics was for no one else, and that past experience made her participation and performances in Paris all the sweeter. “It was important to me because nobody forced me to be out there on that stage,” Biles said. “I solely did it for myself and I’m in a really good spot mentally and physically. So doing this for just me meant the world.” Despite overcoming them, she admits that doubts sometimes still begin to creep in.