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Simone Biles' Olympics Withdrawal Puts Focus On The Pressure Gymnasts, Other Athletes Face

Simone Biles waits to perform on the vault during the artistic gymnastics women's final at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Tuesday, July 27, 2021, in Tokyo. (Gregory Bull/AP)
Simone Biles waits to perform on the vault during the artistic gymnastics women's final at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Tuesday, July 27, 2021, in Tokyo. (Gregory Bull/AP)

After Simone Biles — the greatest gymnast of all time — withdrew from the Olympics this week, the pressure on gymnasts and other athletes is in the spotlight.

Gymnastics prizes physical and mental perfection, which can lead athletes to push themselves beyond their capacities.

Here & Now‘s Robin Young speaks with Dr. Carlin Anderson, a sports psychologist, about the consequences.

This article was originally published on WBUR.org.

Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.