THERE'S A LOT HAPPENING AT THE OLYMPICS, including a 72-hole golf tournament that will culminate in gold, silver and bronze medals. But it seems as if all the talk has been about U.S. gymnast Simone Biles, who has left the competition (for now) due to mental issues.
Here's what Rory McIlroy had to say about Biles and tennis star Naomi Osaka (quotes via Rex Hoggard story).
"You have to put yourself in the best position physically and mentally and to be at your best, and if you don't feel like you're at that or you're in that position then you're going to have to make those decisions," Rory McIlroy said. "I'm certainly very impressed with, especially those two women [Naomi Osaka and Biles], to do what they did and put themselves first."There's been a few athletes that have really spoken up: Michael Phelps, Kevin Love, Naomi Osaka, Simone Biles. I mean the conversation, it's not taboo anymore, people can talk about it just as somebody has a knee or elbow injury, if you don't feel right 100 percent mentally that's an injury, too."I think in sports there's still this notion of just like powering through it and digging in and you're not a competitor unless you get through these things. So I think that's probably part of it. But then when you hear the most decorated Olympian ever talk about his struggles and then probably the greatest gymnast ever talk about her struggles, then it encourages more people that have felt that way to come out and share how they felt."
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