Simone Biles tweets heartbreaking mental health revelation - Today.com

Simone Biles just gave us a heartbreaking peek behind her curtain of greatness.

Biles tweeted Thursday in Tokyo for the first time since her decision to withdraw from the U.S. women's gymnastics team and individual all-around events.

"The outpouring love & support I’ve received has made me realize I’m more than my accomplishments and gymnastics which I never truly believed before," the decorated Olympian wrote alongside her signature white heart emoji.

the outpouring love & support I’ve received has made me realize I’m more than my accomplishments and gymnastics which I never truly believed before. 🤍
— Simone Biles (@Simone_Biles) July 29, 2021

Biles has been active on social media re-sharing messages of support from around the world, including from fellow gymnastics teammates.

"Never been prouder to be apart of such an amazing team with an amazing group of girls. We stepped up when we needed to and did this for ourselves. We do not owe anyone a gold medal, we are WINNERS in our hearts," Team USA gymnast Suni Lee wrote.

never been prouder to be apart of such an amazing team with an amazing group of girls. we stepped up when we needed to and did this for ourselves. we do not owe anyone a gold medal, we are WINNERS in our hearts. 🤍
— Sunisa lee (@sunisalee_) July 28, 2021

Former Olympian gymnast Nastia Liukin penned a heartfelt thank-you letter to Biles for showing the world who she is beyond an athlete.

"Thank you for showing the depth of who you are beyond an athlete as a leader, role model, mental health warrior and person," Liukin wrote. "You came here as a gymnast, and you're leaving as a hero."

Biles' withdrawal highlights the importance of mental health in athletes.

"We also have to focus on ourselves because at the end of the day, we're human, too," Biles said, according to The Associated Press. "We have to protect our mind and our body, rather than just go out there and do what the world wants us to do."

Earlier this year, Naomi Osaka withdrew from Wimbledon to prioritize her mental health.

"Michael Phelps told me that by speaking up I may have saved a life," Osaka wrote in a TIME essay earlier this month. "If that’s true, then it was all worth it."

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July 28, 202109:04

Kait Hanson

Kait Hanson is a contributing writer for TODAY.com. A graduate of Penn State University, she began her career in sports and happily wakes up at 6 a.m. for games thanks to the time change at her home in Hawaii. An island transplant originally from the Northeast, she has called Oahu home for nearly 10 years with her husband and two chocolate Labs. Follow her on Instagram.

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