Time magazine announced its athlete of the year on Thursday.
The publication selected U.S. Olympic gymnast Simone Biles, known not only for her gold medal-winning feats but also for raising mental health awareness. Many critics deemed her a quitter when she opted out of the women’s team gymnastics final at the Tokyo Olympics in July, saying she wanted to prioritize her mental health.
“Whenever you get in a high-stress situation, you kind of freak out,” she said at the time. “I have to focus on my mental health and not jeopardize my health and well-being. It just sucks when you’re fighting with your own head.”
SIMONE BILES HITS OUT AT THOSE WHO ‘FAILED TO DO THEIR JOBS’ OVER LARRY NASSAR
After she withdrew, the U.S. women’s gymnastics team won the silver medal in their final event, rather than the gold medal it was projected to take home.
“I do believe everything happens for a reason, and there was a purpose,” she told Time in an interview for its announcement Thursday. “Not only did I get to use my voice, but it was validated as well.”
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“I was torn because things weren’t going the way I wanted,” she said. “But looking back, I wouldn’t change it for anything.”
