Coventry on Biles, mental health

Sports Reporter

YOUTH, Sport, Arts and Recreation Minister Kirsty Coventry has thrown her weight behind American gymnast Simone Biles, who caused a stir when she withdrew from the gymnastics team competition at the Olympics over mental health issues.

Biles has spoken at length about her decision, saying she was shaking before the Olympic team gymnastics final, and that she withdrew after realising that the “mental’s not there.”

The 24-year-old has since also withdrawn from the individual all-around competition.

In an interview with CNN on the sidelines of the games themselves, Coventry shared her thoughts on the mental strain athletes go through, and called Biles ‘brave’ for having the courage to make the decision to put herself first.

“She is being true to herself, and she had to be very brave to make the decision that she made,” said Coventry on Biles’ decision to pull out.

“It will be an incredible, positive thing for so many athletes that may or may not be in the same situation but will look at her and get inspired.

“She is inspiring people to acknowledge that this is something normal, and something that everyone goes through, obviously, at different stages and maybe at different levels”.

Coventry is no stranger to Biles’ struggles, having made her Olympic debut while still in high school back in 2000.

Then, she became the first Zimbabwean swimmer to reach the semi-finals at the Olympics, before going on to collect a record seven medals at the 2004 and 2008 editions in Athens and Beijing respectively.

Her tally of two gold, four silver and an Olympic bronze has since seen her christened the greatest African Olympian of all time.

Biles is no slouch either, and is regarded as arguably the United States’ greatest gymnast of all time.

She has a combined 30 Olympic and World Championship medal count, and shot to fame at the 2016 Rio Olympics.

There she won individual gold medals in all-around, vault, and floor; bronze in balance beam; and another gold as part of the United States team,

She becomes only the second athlete to come out on her struggles with mental health this year alone.

This follows Naomi Osaka’s withdrawal from the French Open in June.

Coventry stressed the importance of mental strength in sport.

“We have to remember that as athletes, we are also just humans with families, friends and a life. Regular life, with ups and downs that happen outside.

“When we can embrace that, I think that is when we can all figure out ways of how to improve that environment for athletes and move forward,” she said.

Touching on the Biles incident, Coventry said: “I think she has allowed it to be just something that can accepted by people, and that took a lot of bravery.

“I think athletes have finally got to a place where they feel empowered that it’s okay to feel whatever emotions that they are going through and not to hide.

“That is a very positive step forward for everyone involved.

“It is where we are today, and its allowing athletes to fully embrace everything that they are going through.

“You have to train your brain, just as much as any muscle.

“I have heard many Olympians say that, on the day, they know that the person standing next to them has trained just as hard, but it comes down to that moment.

“And, that moment can be impacted by so many other things.

“It can be impacted by things happening with your family at home, or a loved one, or a friend”.