Simone Biles

[Cwtchycoopark]

I had never seen her perform so I am currently down a YouTube rabbit hole and I am awe struck.She is phenomenally, jaw droppingly talented and you can just tell how much she loves it. She is a complete joy to watch. She has shown such courage in prioritising her mental health over what is expected from her.

Not RTFT

She's astonishing, and big thumbs up to her putting herself first.

As an aside, and no criticism at all of her, as I imagine it's "normal" but the sexualised music, the butt wiggles and frankly whorish engagement required of women?

Do men do this in the same exercises? Thought not.

Same with the grins in synchronised swimming for women.

Fuck me. Bloody awful.

No men do not have to do that! Or makeup. Although I noticed one of the Japanese male gymnasts had a coordinated hair colour/tracksuit thing going on.

@Wantingtogetitright

She has ADHD and I know not everyone with ADHD is the same but it just blows my mind that she can do what she does but in a way it also makes total sense that someone with ADHD would do what she does

I read many of the high achieving gymnasts say they have adhd over the years.

I don't think it has been emphasised enough how much she made the decision for her team mates as well as for her safety - she said she felt awful about them having to see her 'bad' score up on the board and was convinced she would cost them a medal if she carried on, which she didn't want to do as they had worked so hard. It was the opposite of selfish. She is a fantastic team player.

I am not a big Olympics fan as I think the organisation profits hugely from nothing but the real talent - the athletes. So to me it's just a competition, and Simone Biles, not the Olympics, is where it's at. Far more important a hundred times over that she protect herself, not the Olympics.

@Phineyj

No men do not have to do that! Or makeup. Although I noticed one of the Japanese male gymnasts had a coordinated hair colour/tracksuit thing going on.

I've been getting seriously irritated seeing the differences in men's and women's competitions. There are women competing in leotards and swimming costumes where you can literally see parts of their vulvas, and men in the same sport wearing shorts or leggings. That's before you even get into the stupid prancing that female gymnasts have to do whereas men just go straight for the tumbles.

@Bunnycat101

I’ve just watched Athlete A. Anyone criticising Simone can bugger off as far as I’m concerned.

100% agree

The German gymnastics team have been wearing full coverage bodysuits (not that those leave much to the imagination) so maybe that'll catch on. I just can't imagine doing all that training and having to worry about hair and make-up on top .

I read something on Twitter from a gymnast about what happens when you get the ‘twisties’ - that basically you rely on muscle memory to do the amazing twists and flips and when you get the ‘twisties’ your head isn’t in the right place so you lose muscle memory

I got serious twisties from watching them and also the Kayaks , I was 'helping them' and got cramps from just watching!

But seriously it was very sad. I knew once she walked off it was a mental rather than physical thing.

@sashh

So this “twistees” is it a temporary problem or is it something that once they experience it that it remains with them?

Beth Tweddle was explaining on the BBC, she said it depends on the athlete, it can cause a 'mental block' that can last a long time but is different with different gymnasts, she also said that with some people it is just one piece of apparatus and with others it affects their performance on all equipment.

She was saying it is something you go back to basics with and work back up, not something you can do in the middle of a competition.

Strug's second vault guaranteed USA the gold, but it also took her out of her chance at individual medals.

Another vote for Athlete A - the number of injuries gymnast have when competing is incredible.

I coached an athlete like this once, who was on the cusp of Olympic funding and the pressure made her literally forget how to do the mechanics of her event in training. She said it was the most bizarre mental block ever but she was able to perform it in an event, just not in training (so couldn't get better). I got her out of it which was a great result but it's probably a more common thing than you'd realise. I've been round sport all my life and I don't like this reifying of the Olympics or any other competition.

People go on about resilience etc and all athletes have that but it gets misunderstood so it can then be exploited with athletes forced to do things they aren't comfortable with. And there are too many opportunists all too willing to attach themselves to the sports event to care about the athletes or protect their best interests. That's the part of sport I really don't like.

@CuriousaboutSamphire, I'm interested – what makes the vault the most dangerous skill?
(Do just tell me off for derailing if you like)

@Bunnycat101

I’ve just watched Athlete A. Anyone criticising Simone can bugger off as far as I’m concerned.

That fucking traumatised me. What those evil bastards did to those poor girls, and got away with it for years. When your sexual abuser is your "safe place"? It breaks my heart, I don't know how they survived it.

Phelps has adhd aswell.

@Cwtchycoopark I believe the coach carrying Kerri Strug in the photo owned the ranch that featured in athlete A

Well done Simone. She left on her own terms and already has an established brand to fall back on. It's horrible to watch Kerri Strug crawling off the mat after her final vault, and to remember what Elena Mukhina went through. I expect they're just the most visible ones of all the gymnasts who suffer and don't get any real rewards for their gymnastic career.

[quote IntermittentParps]@CuriousaboutSamphire, I'm interested – what makes the vault the most dangerous skill?
(Do just tell me off for derailing if you like)[/quote]
I'm not an expert but as I understand it you have to be completely accurate at all times, you cannot make adjustments.

If you take off wrong or your hands don't meet the vaulting table just right you can fall, and unlike other apparatus that will likely be on your head and that means a broken neck.

If you have a look at the Sydney games the vault was at the wrong level and many gymnasts look like they will land on their heads, there were some injuries

The vaulting table was introduced to make things less dangerous

I am in awe of her talent. She's such an inspiration. I feel so bad she's struggling with her mental health when I know this probably means the world to her. I'm happy she's taking time off. I could tell she wasn't in the best mental space after her first two events. Poor girl. Hope she's back harder, better, faster, stronger.
I love watching her perform 🥰❤️

There is another gymnast called Katelyn Ohashi. Another who has had trauma in her life and is spectacular at her sport. IMO, better than Simone.

I do admire her for stepping up and saying no, I can’t do this.

I do wonder if it were a man if there would be as much coverage. After all, Andy Murray withdrew from the singles and not much was said of that.

I'm no expert on gymnastics at all but to have four moves named for you personally would suggest to me that the person is, indeed, top, in eyes of the sport?

@scaffoldingtheworld

There is another gymnast called Katelyn Ohashi. Another who has had trauma in her life and is spectacular at her sport. IMO, better than Simone.

I do admire her for stepping up and saying no, I can’t do this.

I do wonder if it were a man if there would be as much coverage. After all, Andy Murray withdrew from the singles and not much was said of that.

She's fantastic!

I watched Athlete A last night too. And also the Nadia movie (found the whole thing on a different channel that started from the beginning) - I know it's fictionalised and many of the events in that have been denied/exaggerated/rearranged etc, but nonetheless, you can get a feeling for the methods and the culture in gymnastics, and you can see how it led to the later scandals - the culture of cruelty, obedience, not questioning anything, pushing through pain, erosion of boundaries etc.

It makes it hard to watch replays of the events now, when I remember watching so intently as a child in the 80s and 90s, not realising what was going on and just seeing them as stars/public property almost, which of course was part of the attitude that contributed to the situation. And even now, watching the events, wondering how much of it is still happening or whether the training and support is changing now that the Karolyis and Nassar are gone. When those methods led to so many gold medals, it takes strong coaches/athletes/officials to accept new ways and change the culture/pressure - so what Simone did was actually huge against that backdrop.

It is inspiring to see a young woman set her boundaries and have her "no" heard.

Bloody good for her.

Phineyj She's top of her sport, no question.

[quote terrywynne]@Cwtchycoopark I believe the coach carrying Kerri Strug in the photo owned the ranch that featured in athlete A[/quote]
He is here as well:

mobile.twitter.com/Dmoceanu/status/1420396388614037509

sashh that video is awful but I had to stop watching as it looked so dangerous. Such awful negligence.

@Oblomov21

Phelps has adhd aswell.

I'm Louis Smith said he did too?

My ds is a swimmer. There's a few he trains with in the National squad (so the higher achieving ones) who I would question having ahdh! My ds has asd and there's another I'd also question.

Sometimes the neurodiversity that comes with these developmental differences can be a real advantage in sport. For my ds it's the routine and ability to follow the rules and logical way he approaches things.