Gold medal-winning athletes swerve social media to avoid ‘external pressure’

After Simone Biles’ withdrawal from both the women’s team gymnastics final and the individual all-around competition to focus on her mental health, other Olympic athletes have said they’ve come off social media platforms to protect their own mental well-being.

Biles – one of the greatest gymnasts of all time – stepped away from a dramatic team competition on Tuesday, citing mental health concerns in an attempt to protect “her body and mind.” On Wednesday, USA Gymnastics announced she would not be competing in the individual event, a decision they supported “wholeheartedly.”

And in light of Biles’ decision to prioritize her own mental state over competing, some gold medal-winning athletes at Tokyo 2020 have said they’ve taken steps to protect their own health.

Australian swimmer Ariarne Titmus, who has won two Olympic gold medals at Tokyo 2020 in the 200m and 400m freestyle, has said she has deleted every social media app on her phone to avoid “external pressure.”

“I think as much as messages from everyone is really beautiful, and it’s good to look at it a little bit, it can sometimes be a bit overwhelming,” she said after her victory in her latest duel with American Katie Ledecky in the women’s 200m freestyle final on Wednesday.

Simone Biles competes in the floor exercise during the World Championships in 2019.

Biles talks with her grandfather, Ron, as she trains in Houston in August 2013. Biles grew up in Spring, Texas, just outside of Houston.

Biles competes on the balance beam during the US National Gymnastics Championships in August 2013. She won gold in the individual all-around.

Biles dodges a bee flying near her during the medal ceremony at the 2014 World Championships. She successfully defended her title in the individual all-around.

Biles, left, poses at home with her grandparents Ron and Nellie, who adopted her and her younger sister Adria, right.

Biles practices in Houston in January 2016.

Biles, right, and fellow gymnast Gabby Douglas stand during the opening ceremony of the 2016 US Olympic Trials. Both made the team. Douglas was the Olympic all-around champion in 2012.

Biles celebrates with her teammates after the US Olympic Trials in 2016.

Biles competes on the balance beam at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. She won gold in the individual all-around and the team all-around. She also added two more golds and a bronze.

Biles competes on the uneven bars at the 2016 Olympics.

From left, US gymnasts Laurie Hernandez, Madison Kocian, Simone Biles, Aly Raisman and Gabby Douglas celebrate after winning gold in the team all-around at the 2016 Olympics.

Biles celebrates with the gold medal she earned for her individual all-around title at the 2016 Olympics.

Biles has her legs held by host Jimmy Fallon as she plays a game called Hungry Hungry Humans on "The Tonight Show" in August 2016. Also playing were actor Donald Glover and some of Biles' teammates.

Biles poses with swimming legend Michael Phelps, Raisman and actress Olivia Munn during a recording of the show "Lip Sync Battle: All Stars Live" in September 2016.

First lady Michelle Obama rests her elbow on Biles' head as President Barack Obama speaks at the White House in September 2016. The Obamas were hosting an event for US Olympians.

Biles takes a photo with a young fan in Houston in September 2016.

Biles competes in "Dancing with the Stars" with Sasha Farber in 2017. They would finish in fourth place.

Biles speaks after receiving the ESPY Award for best female athlete in 2017.

Biles performs with the Houston Texans cheerleaders in December 2017.

Biles competes on the uneven bars during the 2018 World Championships. She won gold in the individual all-around.

Biles soars through the air while competing on the uneven bars at the World Championships in 2019. Again, she won gold in the individual all-around.

Biles celebrates after winning the balance beam final at the 2019 World Championships.

During the GK US Classic in May 2021, Biles became the first woman in history to land a Yurchenko double pike vault in competition.

Biles lands awkwardly while competing in the team all-around at the Tokyo Olympics in July 2021. Biles stumbled on the vault landing and then pulled out of the competition over mental-health concerns.

Biles is congratulated by coach Cecile Canqueteau-Landi after they realized Biles would win an Olympic bronze medal in the balance beam final in July 2021. Biles had pulled out of several events earlier in Tokyo, citing mental health concerns. Specifically, she said she had "the twisties," a mental block in gymnastics in which competitors lose track of their positioning midair. Her bronze medal tied her with Shannon Miller for the most Olympic medals ever won by an American gymnast.

From left, Biles, McKayla Maroney, Maggie Nichols and Aly Raisman are sworn in to testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee in September 2021. They sharply criticized how FBI agents handled the sexual abuse allegations against Larry Nassar, the former USA Gymnastics team doctor now serving a long prison sentence.

President Joe Biden awards Biles with the Presidential Medal of Freedom in July 2022. Biles, 25, became the youngest person ever to receive the award. "When she stands on the podium,we see what she is: absolute courage to turn personal pain into a greater purpose, to stand and speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves," Biden said.

Biles appears on "The Late Late Show with James Corden" in September 2022. On the right is US Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg.

Biles competes in the uneven bars at the Core Hydration Classic in August 2023. It was her first competitive event since 2021, and she won the all-around.

Biles celebrates after winning a record eighth national all-around title at the US Gymnastics Championships in August 2023. The 26-year-old also became the oldest woman to ever win the championships.

Biles lands a Yurchenko double pike vault — a high-difficulty skill historically only done by men — while qualifying for the women's all-around competition at the World Artistic Gymnastics Championships in October 2023. It was the first time a woman landed the move in an international competition.

Biles celebrates after winning the individual all-around at the World Artistic Gymnastics Championships in October 2023. By winning gold, she became the most decorated female or male gymnast ever, surpassing Belarusian Vitaly Scherbo's record of 33 overall medals across both the Olympics and the world championships.

In pictures: Superstar gymnast Simone Biles

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“So I’m only really speaking to my family, a tiny bit, not that much either. So I just tried to not read anything because I think that adds external pressure. I mean, I got my best friend last night to log into my Instagram to post a post for me.

“So I didn’t even log on and post but she said, like, ‘Mate, your notifications are out of control,’” the 20-year-old added. “So when I log back on, it’s going to be a bit hectic, I think. But I think it’s good to be able to be off that when you’re racing. It’s just another thing that you don’t have to worry about.”

After setting a new Olympic record of 53.50 seconds in the 200m to claim her second gold of the Games, Titmus admitted that while she had heard of Biles pulling out, she is trying to focus on herself while she’s competing.

“It’s a little bit strange, actually at an Olympic Games, and there’s multiple events going on,” she told the media. “But I feel like when you’ve got such narrow focus, you only really think about what you’re doing. And for me, this just feels like another swim meet. So I really am not looking too much externally.”

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Titmus reacts with her coach Dean Boxall after winning the gold medal in the women's 200m freestyle.

Overcoming heartbreak

For Dutch cyclist Annemiek van Vleuten, coming off social media was a choice she made to preserve her mental state after her heartbreaking silver medal in the women’s road race on Sunday.

As she crossed the line after completing the 147-kilometer course, she threw her arms aloft in celebration, thinking she’d won the gold medal.

However, she did not realize that Austria’s Anna Kiesenhofer had crossed the finish line well ahead of her competitors to take gold.

And in an effort to cope with the backlash she might have received on social media in the aftermath to her heartbreaking moment, van Vleuten decided to just stay off it.

After finally claiming a gold in the individual time trial on Wednesday, van Vleuten said she closed herself off from social media to aid her preparation.

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van Vleuten celebrates as she crosses the finishing line of the women's road race to win the silver medal.

“I closed myself from social media, and the message I took home from the road race was that I was in my best possible shape,” she told the media.

“I let everyone in the media … I left the Twitter account closed,” she added.

“I let everyone talk but the message I took from it said: I nailed it again to be in my best possible shape ever.”