WORCESTER, Mass. - Olympic gymnast Simone Biles pulled out from the individual and team all-around competition to take time to focus on her mental health. A local clinician say she supports the move.

The decision shocked many, as Biles seemed to be a sure Tokyo olympics gold medalist.

Mental health clinician Melissa Fish says she thinks this was a very honest place for Biles to be at with herself, for knowing she had reached a mental limit of endurance and made the difficult decision to step down. Fish says it's always important to have compassion and understanding for where a person is coming from and where they're at.

"With ((Biles) going through what she's going through, I think it's really important everyone takes a step back and realize just because she took a break for mental health purposes. It doesn't change or define who she is as a person or her abilities as an athlete,” Fish, the clincal director at Veterans Inc. in Worcester, said. “Again mental health and its struggle is part of a person, but it's not all of a person."

Jade Carey will take Biles' spot in the all-around competition.