Actor Priyanka Chopra extends support to Simon Biles

Priyanka Chopra hails Simone Biles after she withdraws from Tokyo Olympics

Hyderabad: Global star Priyanka Chopra has extended her support to one of the most decorated American gymnast Simone Biles for her decision to withdraw herself from Thursday’s all-around competition in Tokyo Olympics to focus on her mental well-being.

The Fashion star took to her Instagram handle to share an old interview from her YouTube show ‘If I Could Tell You Just One Thing’, with the US gymnast. In the video, shared by Priyanka, Simone could be heard disclosing the hardships an athlete has to face while preparing to compete on a bigger level.

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In the clip, Priyanka could be heard asking the 24-year-old athlete about the pressure she feels in her field, to which Simone replied, “I feel like that’s the hardest part of my career. I don’t want to say job, because I chose this. Always meeting people’s needs, every single day, all the time, is probably the hardest thing that I go through.” The ‘Dostana’ actor further asked Simone, “When you fail, does it crush you?”. “Yes. I feel like if I don’t meet their needs and if I failed… even at the Olympics, everybody wanted me to win six golds or this or that… I didn’t meet those needs and I was really down on myself, especially after the beam. Even though I still medalled, everyone was like ‘What the heck is a bronze,'” Simone replied referring to the 2016 Rio Olympics where she won four gold medals and a bronze- on the balance beam.

“Therapy needs to be normalised, it is everything. I feel like nowadays, if you say you are going to therapy, nobody questions you anymore. But before if I said I was going to therapy, (people would say) ‘Are you going to a cuckoo doctor?’ And that’s why I think therapy today is so important and it needs to be normalized,” Simone told Priyanka.

Sharing the video clip on her Instagram handle, Priyanka wrote a lengthy note in the caption, that read, “I had the joy of getting to know Simone Biles a few years ago, and she blew me away then with her vulnerability and self-awareness. Simone, yesterday we were reminded why you are truly the GOAT, and why nothing supersedes taking care of ourselves… body and mind. I cannot fathom the impossible pressure you all perform under, but knowing where you need to draw the line and step away – TO CHOOSE YOURSELF – is most important.”

“Only when we are okay can we perform at our best, and enjoy doing so. Thank you for helping normalise that even under tremendous pressure, it’s ok to be human. Thank you for your courage and strength. You are a role model, and just like the rest of the world I’m so inspired and awed by you. Once again you have shown us what it truly means to be a champion. Sending love,” she added.

Earlier, Bollywood stars like Deepika Padukone, Alia Bhatt, Varun Dhawan, and more heaped praises on the US gymnast who pulled out of the women’s team event on Thursday after faltering mid-air on the first apparatus- the vault, which is her specialty.

Team USA continued without her and won silver. After a medical assessment, Simone also withdrew from the individual all-around event.

Last week, Simone had become the first Olympic athlete to have her own customized hashtag emoji on Twitter.