Simone Biles was privately mourning the loss of a loved one amid her time at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
The gymnast, who withdrew from several Olympic events to focus on her mental health, returned to the competition on August 3, winning a bronze medal in the balance beam final. After her third place finish, Biles told reporters that her aunt—her father’s sister—”unexpectedly passed,” according to People.
Biles’ coach Cecile Canqueteau-Landi also confirmed the heartbreaking news. “That was another one, I was like, ‘Oh my God. This week needs to be over,'” Landi said, via People. “I asked her, ‘What do you need?’ And she said, ‘I just need some time.’ I said, ‘You call me, text me if you need anything. I’ll be here. Whatever that is.’ She called her parents. She said, ‘There’s nothing I can do from over here, so I’m just going to finish my week and when I get home we’ll deal with it.'”
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