When you reach the highest levels of your profession, you’d think the days of struggling are behind you. However, you’d be wrong by a long shot. And for Simone Biles, the pressure is even more daunting than the others. Even the country’s most decorated gymnast of all time isn’t immune to criticism and she has been going extra hard on herself ever since she had to pull out of the last Olympics because of the “twisties”. However, for one of her colleagues, the pressure on Simone isn’t an anomaly and is rather a trademark of women’s gymnastics.
In a desperate attempt to reclaim her throne, Biles has left no stone unturned on her quest to make it to her third Games. And yet, even she cannot escape the high expectations that send chills down the spines of the nation’s top athletes.
In a recent interview with Fox News Digital, the 2023 World Championships bronze medalist Fred Richard talked about how his female colleagues have to compete under higher pressure compared to their male counterparts. “They have way more eyes on them, way more people tuning in. Of course, that’s pressure itself,” said Richard about the sad state of affairs. He mentioned that while the men enjoy a more relaxed environment, the women aren’t all that lucky.
“…this is everything, this is your life, and if you don’t win medals, you’re a failure in every way,” revealed the Michigan Wolverines gymnast about how female gymnasts are forced to adhere to the stringent demands of the sport. Referring to the men’s gymnastics scene as “chill and laid back“, Richard also said, “…the men have built a culture that’s a little different than that where we can go out and have a little more fun and be a little loose with it.”
“Much more uptight, much less celebrations, much stricter, a lot riding on it.” noted the three-time NCAA champ as he went on to elaborate on the women’s gymnastics environment in the USA. However, despite the crumbling pressure, Simone has kept her head high and continues to display her elite status week after week.