Simone Biles Reveals Why She Steers Clear of Olympic Village Cafeteria

Fame comes at cost, even with the Olympic Village.

U.S. gymnastics star Simone Biles is having an ideal return to the Olympics, securing gold medal in both the women's team final and the individual all-around final.

Yet, her experience in the Olympic Village has been less than ideal as she disclosed the surprising reason of why she avoids the village cafeteria. In a TikTok video , Biles recounted being swarmed for photos on her first day, which escalated her anxiety.

"I haven't done much around the Olympic Village because the first day we arrived, I went to the cafeteria, and there was a non-stop stream of photo requests," Biles explained.

"The moment I sat down to eat, my anxiety became so intense that I was shaking uncontrollably and felt completely overwhelmed. I met a friend at the cafeteria yesterday, but before that, I hadn't returned in about five days. Instead, I shop for groceries and stay put, as the cafeteria scene makes me very anxious."

Biles withdrew from most events at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics due to the "twisties," a mental block causing gymnasts to lose coordination. After the U.S. victory in the women's team final, Biles expressed relief at not experiencing any Tokyo-related flashbacks.

As the most decorated American gymnast in Olympic history and a vocal mental health advocate, Biles aims to expand her collection of Olympic gold medals in the upcoming beam and floor events in Paris after securing her seventh gold medal in the vault event earlier today.

Related: Simone Biles on Rebeca Andrade: ‘Never Had an Athlete That Close’ in Competition