Simone Biles withdraws from all-around gymnastics competition

TOKYO — Simone Biles will not defend her Olympic title in the individual all-around competition.

The four-time Olympic gold medalist withdrew Wednesday from the all-around competition to focus on her mental well-being.

Jade Carey, who finished ninth in qualifying, will take Biles’ place in the all-around.

"After further medical evaluation, Simone Biles has withdrawn from the final individual all-around competition," USA Gymnastics said in a statement on Wednesday. "We wholeheartedly support Simone’s decision and applaud her bravery in prioritizing her well-being. Her courage shows, yet again, why she is a role model for so many."

The decision comes a day after Biles removed herself during the team final following one rotation because she felt she wasn’t mentally ready.

The U.S. team placed second in the team competition behind the Russian Olympic Committee team.

Following the competition, USA Gymnastics tweeted that Biles had withdrew from the team competition due to a medical issue. At a press conference, Biles clarified that she did not suffer an injury and noted that the Tokyo Games had been particularly "stressful."

"No injury, thankfully, and that's why I took a step back because I didn't want to do something silly out there and get injured," Biles said. "I thought it was best that these girls took over and did the rest of the job, which they absolutely did. They're Olympic silver medalists now."

"It's been really stressful, this Olympic games," Biles added. "I think we're just a little bit too stressed out, but we should be out here having fun, and sometimes that's not the case."

Throughout the day on Wednesday, Biles retweeted fellow athletes' messages of support and social media influencers' calls to prioritize mental health.