ST. LOUIS — Olympic legend Jackie Joyner-Kersee commends Simone Biles, and says ultimately it isn't just about winning medals.
"What she is thinking is she let everyone down. No, this is the time for all of us to continue to rise up with her to let her know we are here for her own mental health," Joyner-Kersee said.
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Jackie said when she competed, even though athletes focused on their mental health, it wasn't something you talked about because people would think you were weak.
"Even me being an asthmatic, if I showed any signs of I couldn't breathe, (people) say what's wrong with you?" she said.
Joyner-Kersee said she paid for her own psychologist as part of her training and didn't realize how valuable it really was. She said you don't know what a person is going through because the expectations are so high and you start internalizing everything.
"I can't imagine what Simone has been going through with the weight of the world on her," Joyner-Kersee said.
Joyner-Kersee joined "St. Louis Talks" on KMOX Tuesday afternoon. You can listen to the full interview in the audio below:
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