Simone Biles overcame even more than fans knew in the lead-up to her triumphant Olympic return.
Following her bronze-medal showing in Tuesday's balance beam final, the gymnastics superstar revealed that her aunt died "unexpectedly" just two days before she made her way back into the competition in Tokyo.
"I was like 'Oh my God. This week needs to be over,'" Biles' coach Cecile Canqueteau-Landi said on Tuesday, per People. "I asked her what do you need and she said 'I just need some time.' I said, 'You call me, text me if you need anything, I'll be here. Whatever that is.'"
Biles considered her options, but quickly realized that she couldn't do much with thousands of miles separating her from her family back home in Texas.
"She called her parents," Landi said. "She said, 'There's nothing I can do from over here. So I'm just going to finish my week and when I get home we'll deal with it.'"
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Beyond the unanticipated death of her paternal aunt, Biles has endured plenty throughout her relatively short stay in Tokyo.
As she dealt with mental-health struggles and a battle with "the twisties" - a disorienting phenomenon dreaded by gymnasts and divers alike - Biles shocked the world by opting to withdraw from five medal events in Tokyo.
"We've had a lot of tears combined because as much as we're happy for Team USA, in the back it was a little heartbreaking to know that she could've been out there and she could've, hopefully, earned some medals as well," Landi said.
Somehow, the 24-year-old American star was able to set it all aside to compete in the balance beam final on Tuesday, winning bronze. With the third-place finish, Biles collected her seventh Olympic medal and tied Shannon Miller as the most decorated American women's Olympic gymnasts.
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