Four-time Olympic gold medallist Simone Biles had mental health issues before pulling out of the women’s gymnastics team final on Tuesday.
The American left the arena after the vault, but later returned to support her team-mates as they claimed silver behind the Russian Olympic Committee. She was expected to compete in the individual disciplines from Thursday.
Biles, 24, scored 13.766 - her lowest Olympic vault score - before withdrawing from the event.
“After the performance I did, I just didn’t want to go on,” she said. “I have to focus on my mental health. I just think mental health is more prevalent in sports right now.
“We have to protect our minds and our bodies and not just go out and do what the world wants us to do.”
Biles is the most successful US gymnast of all time, and winner of four gold medals and a bronze at Rio 2016.
The 30-time Olympic and World Championship medallist needs four podium finishes in Tokyo to become the most decorated gymnast - male or female - in history.
Meanwhile, of Cayman’s contingent in Tokyo, Raegan Rutty, 19, was brilliant in gymnastics, swimmer Jillian Crooks, 15, competed in the women’s 50 metres freestyle on Wednesday and Brett Fraser is in the men’s 50m freestyle on Friday. Sprinter Kemar Hyman is in the men’s 100m heats on Saturday and Shalysa Wray runs in the women’s 400m on Tuesday.
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