Simone Biles's Instagram post showing her wrist with a number of hospital bracelets. Photo / Simone Biles Instagram
Gymnastics superstar Simone Biles revealed a recent health scare via an Instagram post on Saturday, providing no details about the medical emergency she called one of the scariest experiences of her life.
She posted: “I’m not one to normally share things like this because I value privacy in today’s age, but almost dying wasn’t on my bingo card earlier this week. This was one of, if not the scariest experience of my life.”
Biles wrote her comments over a photo of her wrist encircled by several hospital bracelets.
The 29-year-old added that the experience was all-the-more terrifying because husband Jonathan Owens was away for off-season training with his Indianapolis Colts NFL team.
Biles wrote: “I’ve been in bed resting this week. I’ll explain sooner or later but (shout-out) to my close circle who reached out, checked in, visited & or sent flowers.”
Biles is a seven-time Olympic champion. She won three gold medals at the 2024 Paris Games, where she made a thrilling return to the Olympic stage after a long mental health break.
In February this year she attended the Milan Winter Olympics and consoled US figure skater Ilia Malinin when the hot favourite crashed out of medal contention.
Biles endured a similar disappointment when she arrived as favourite at the Tokyo Games in 2021, having won four golds at the 2016 Rio Games, but withdrew from several events when she suffered a bout of the “twisties” - a mental block triggered by stress or anxiety.
- AFP