American gymnast has every chance of adding to her medal haul in Paris three years after heartbreak in Japan
But something was wrong. Although the famed Amanar vault is one of the most difficult skills in the world, Biles has made it look easy throughout her career.
This time, though, she completed only one-and-a-half twists, a full twist short of the planned vault, before landing in a deep squat as she barely managed to stay on her feet.
Shortly after her mistake, Biles withdrew from the women’s team final and she later expressed the need to protect her mental wellbeing.
It soon became clear that this was not merely a mental timeout in the middle of the Olympic Games.
Biles was suffering from the Twisties, a mental block that caused the American to lose herself in the air whenever she attempted to twist. In such a dangerous sport, Biles risked seriously injuring herself if she tried to push through.