Simone Biles shared an intimate look into her pre-competition routine on August 6, posting a new “Get Ready With Me” (GRWM) video on TikTok. The video, which featured Biles applying light makeup ahead of the uneven bars final on August 4, also included a heartfelt message of gratitude to her supporters.
The 27-year-old gymnast took a moment to thank those who have stood by her throughout her career. “I just want to give a quick shoutout to all of my supporters that have stuck with me since Rio, throughout Tokyo, and now supporting me here in Paris. It’s been unreal,” Biles said, referring to her previous Olympic appearances in Rio de Janeiro in 2016 and Tokyo in 2020.
Biles reflected on her journey and the personal challenges she has faced. “I’ve achieved more than my wildest dreams. I never thought I was going to be competing again, because that’s how terrified I was of gymnastics and twisting, so there was a lot of trauma there. I’ve had to put in a lot of work, but shout out to my therapist and shout out to therapy,” she added.
@simonebilesowens 🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍 first reserve on bars lollzzzz #gymnastics #olympics #paris
In the video, Biles explained her choice of light makeup, noting that she was “first reserve” for the uneven bars competition. As she was ranked ninth, and only the top eight competitors were eligible to compete for medals, she needed to be prepared in case she was called to compete. Although she did not ultimately participate in the event, she was ready and maintained a fresh look throughout.
Biles was scheduled to compete in her final two events, the balance beam and floor exercise, the following day. In her TikTok, she expressed excitement about these events, stating, “I will be doing beam and floor, which I’m so excited about. Never doing a floor routine again, so it just hits different.” Biles went on to win the silver medal in the floor exercise, with Brazil’s Rebeca Andrade taking gold and Biles’ teammate Jordan Chiles earning bronze.
Biles has been open about her mental health journey, especially since her struggles with the “twisties” during the Tokyo Olympics. She has emphasized the importance of therapy in her life, including during the current Games in Paris. In a July 31 episode of the “Making Space with Hoda Kotb” podcast, Biles discussed how focusing on her mental health has positively impacted her overall well-being. “I feel a lot more free, especially going to therapy and doing those sessions so that physically and mentally I feel better,” she said. “It lightens the load a lot.”
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During the Paris Olympics, Biles integrated therapy into her routine, even on competition days. Speaking to reporters, including PEOPLE, on July 30, she reflected on her team’s success in winning gold in the women’s team final. “At the beginning of the day, I started off with therapy this morning, so that was super exciting. I told her I was feeling calm and ready, and that’s kind of exactly what happened,” Biles said. “After I finished vault, I was relieved. I was like, ‘Phew,’ because [there were] no flashbacks or anything.”
