Simone Biles' case of 'the twisties' is more than just mental block, gymnasts say
Marcus Rebelo | CBC Sports | Posted: July 28, 2021 11:04 PM | Last Updated: July 28, 2021
'It can be very dangerous' says 5-time Olympic medal gymnast Nastia Liukin
Prior to her withdrawal from the individual all-around final, Simone Biles cited a dreaded term known to gymnasts.
"They saw it a little bit in practice ... having a little bit of the twisties," Biles told reporters Tuesday.
To the rest of the world, 'the twisties' are an unfamiliar term, but gymnasts understand what it is and the risk of competing with it.
It has often been described as having a mental block in the air, but unlike some sports where it may cost you a result, it could pose serious physical harm.
WATCH | Simone Biles discusses decision to put her mental health first:
"I think when you actually take a look at what happened on that vault — she got lost," said five-time Olympic medal gymnast Nastia Liukin, on NBC Olympics.
"And any gymnast knows — we call it the "twisties" — and basically she was supposed to do another whole rotation and got completely lost in the air. It's a mental error, essentially, that every single gymnast goes through.
"If you are not 100 per cent sure of yourself, and where you are in the air, it can be very dangerous."
After struggling on her opening vault in the women's team final, Biles exited the event citing mental health concerns.
WATCH | Morgan Campbell discusses Biles' withdrawal from women's artistic final:
Former gymnast Catherine Burns took to Twitter to further explain the twisties phenomenon.
A post from Former gymnast Jacoby Miles adds to how dangerous it can be.
As the 24-year-old American focuses on her mental health, with her future at Tokyo 2020 undecided, an outpouring of support has followed.
WATCH | Simone Biles praises her teammates: