In elite gymnastics, few names shine as brightly as Simone Biles, known for her high difficulty routines and seemingly unshakeable confidence. Biles stunned the world during the Tokyo Olympics when she experienced a bout of what she called “the twisties.”
This phenomenon, where gymnasts lose their spatial awareness mid-air, can turn a well-rehearsed sequence into a perilous plunge. From a psychological perspective, the twisties highlight how a shift in focus from performance to fear and anxiety can derail even the most experienced athletes.
