MyKayla Skinner Gives Insight Behind Simone Biles’ Decision To Compete In Balance Beam (EXCLUSIVE)

Simone Biles is going for the gold in balance beam and has her teammates by her side.

It was announced on Monday that the 24-year-old star athlete plans to compete in the balance beam final on Tuesday alongside Suni Lee who has won a gold, silver and bronze medal already.

Access Hollywood’s Scott Evans spoke to Simone’s Olympics roommate and teammate MyKayla Skinner who detailed how Simone made the decision to compete.

“I feel like last night, she’s like, ‘I’m ready for this, I feel like I can do this dismount and I feel really prepared’ so I think last night was the night she knew that she was going to be ready to go in and step in and do this,” MyKayla said. “Every day she thought beam was going to be the one but last night for sure,” she continued.

MyKayla, who thought her Olympic dreams were over got the chance to compete on vault after Simone withdrew from the competition and won the silver. She’s hoping that her teammate will also get the chance to win a medal on the balance beam.

“I’m glad that she’s made a decision she knows what she’s doing so hopefully she can forget about everything else and focus on beam,” MyKayla said. “Day after day, kind of watching her, she’s been so supportive and positive but that’s got to hurt on the inside, I know she wants to be out there. I’m so happy for her, I’m thrilled.”

“To come back and at least do something after everything she’s been through, it would be awesome,” MyKayla added.

Simone withdrew from the individual and team all-around competition last week in an effort to focus on her mental health. The gymnast on Friday took to Instagram to share with her millions of fans what it’s like for her to suffer with a condition called “twisties” which causes her mind and body to not be in sync, leading to a potentially dangerous situation, especially for a gymnast.
The Olympian also reiterated the fact that she did not quit because of having a bad performance on the vault during the team finals on Tuesday, where she had the lowest score of her career at 13.766.

“I’ve had plenty of bad performances throughout my career and finished the competition. I simply got so lost my safety was at risk as well as a team medal,” she wrote.

“For anyone saying I quit. I didn’t quit, my mind and body are simply not in sync. As you can see [in the video]. I don’t think you realize how hard this is on hard/competition surface,” she captioned alongside a video of her falling on the discount during practice. “Sometimes I can’t even fathom twisting. I seriously cannot comprehend how to twist. Strangest and weirdest thing as well as feeling,” she added.

Simone says that she’s experienced the “twisties” in the past, but it usually shows up only during floor and vault routines and doesn’t last more than 2 weeks. But during the Tokyo Olympics it has also “transferred to the bars and beam” right after the preliminary competition.

“By that time no an alternate was not allowed to be placed in my position for all your ‘know it alls.’ we have four on a team for a reason. I chose to not continue team competition in jeopardizing losing a medal (of any color) for the girls/us. Also, for my own safety and health,” Simone explained.

Simone is the first woman since 1992 to advance to the final in all six possible Olympic events. She was set to compete in the team final, the individual all-around final, and in the vault, uneven bars, and floor event finals.

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