In Aimee Boorman's new book, she recounts Simone Biles's struggles with 'the twisties,' a condition that affects gymnasts' spatial awareness. Biles first faced this issue in early 2016, shortly before her Olympic debut, after gaining pressure in previous competitions. Despite her fears of losing control while twisting, Biles managed to regain her confidence by the Olympic trials. However, at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, the twisties resurfaced, severely affecting her performance and leading her to withdraw from most events, ultimately taking home a bronze medal on the beam.
When this happens to a gymnast who is flipping 10-plus feet in the air and they lose body awareness in space and time... it's much more dangerous.
Three months after the 2015 world championships, Simone couldn't twist on basically anything... she would physically stop herself from twisting during her routines.
Boorman said she did not want to rush Biles back into attempting twists but the gymnast eventually regained her ability to do so in time for the 2016 Olympic trials.
Thankfully the twisties had passed without injury, Boorman writes, and [Simone] successfully returned to her routines.
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