Olympics

Suni Lee is about to be one VERY rich 18-year-old college student -- the gold medalist just surpassed 1 million followers on Instagram ... and is poised to stack some SERIOUS endorsement money!!!

Lee -- the first Hmong American to make the USA Olympic gymnastics team -- cemented her spot in history after taking top honors in the all-around competition on Thursday ... with a bunch of new fans slamming that "follow" button on the social media app.

Lee was hovering around 250k followers prior to her gold medal win ... and saw that number SKYROCKET in the hours after her incredible performance, saying she's "speechless" with the milestone.

Of course, Lee -- who's slated to continue her gymnastics career at Auburn this fall -- usually wouldn't be able to cash in on that kinda exposure due to the NCAA's name, image and likeness rules ... but luckily for her, the organization lifted its policy earlier this month.

In other words, Lee is free to ink a TON of endorsement and sponsorship deals following her rise to superstardom without forfeiting her college career ... something that's never been done in the sport before.

That wasn't always the case. Back in 2016 ... Katie Ledecky -- one of the Summer Games breakout stars -- was forced to forego a ton of endorsement money after she decided to attend Stanford University.

Lee is now a household name, regardless of her social media presence, but having more than a million followers on IG certainly doesn't hurt her chances at lining her pockets.

Auburn coach Jeff Graba spoke about the importance of the new NIL rules for Lee's career ... saying, "I just love the fact that ... thank goodness for the NIL, because she doesn’t have to make a horrible decision," he said, according to al.com.

"She’s capable of, in her words, 'I want it all. I want to be able to do everything.' Now she actually gets that shot."

Simone Biles is opening up about the mental block she's currently experiencing in Tokyo ... calling her issues "petrifying" and saying she fears she could get seriously hurt if she keeps trying to compete while it's going on.

Biles said during a social media Q&A Thursday night that the problems are called the "twisties" ... and explained her mind and body just simply won't connect now during stunts.

"It's honestly petrifying trying to do a skill but not having your mind & body in sync," Biles said.

"Literally can not tell up from down. It's the craziest feeling ever. Not having an inch of control over your body."

Biles added, "What's even scarier is since I have no idea where I am in the air I also have NO idea how I'm going to land, or what I'm going to land on. head/hands/feet/back...."

The positive news -- if there can be any sort of thing given the situation -- is Biles said she's experienced all of this before ... and claims it usually goes away.

"Typically for me it's usually 2 or more weeks when I've had them before," the 24-year-old gymnast said. "Honestly no telling time frame something you have to take literally day by day, turn by turn."

Biles said getting back to the basics and working in a foam pit can help her get her bearings back ... and fortunately, she says she's found a place in Tokyo to work on all of that.

While Biles has withdrawn from two big events already at this summer's Olympics ... she can still compete in several more events next week.

Unclear if she'll be ready in time ... but she made it very apparent she's not going to risk her health going for more gold.

"For anyone saying I quit, I didn't quit," she said. "My mind & body are simply not in sync."

Nobody from Team USA is leaving the Tokyo Games empty-handed ... 'cause athletes are getting hooked up with a TON of free stuff -- from kicks to threads to phones!!

USA weightlifter Mattie Rogers gave fans a sneak peak of the team's awesome swag bags all the way from Japan ... showing off all the fun new gifts everyone got for making it to the big stage.

Naturally, there are a bunch of bags filled in her room ... so Rogers starts things off with some bright pink Nikes all the way down to USA-themed kicks.

And, they made sure they had clothes to go with 'em ... Rogers showed off a huge Nike duffle bag full of their garments and a box from Kim Kardashian's SKIMS line.

The 25-year-old even gave us a fashion show with the luxury Olympic robe!!

"I thought these were only for like famous people!" Rogers joked.

And, no worries if athletes lose their phones at the Village ... Samsung hooked 'em up with brand new ones with the Olympic rings engraved on the back.

There's even more ... but Rogers says "I was going to go through everything but then it was just ... so much!"

"Thank you to team USA for all of this!"

Simone Biles says she's grateful for all of the love fans have shown her since withdrawing from Olympic events ... explaining it's made her realize she's so much more than gymnastics.

Everyone from Michael Phelps to Ronda Rousey to even Justin Bieber has praised the gymnast for pulling out of Games events in order to focus on her mental health.

And, Biles said Wednesday the support has meant everything to her ... writing on her social media pages it's "made me realize I’m more than my accomplishments and gymnastics which I never truly believed before."

As we previously reported, Biles withdrew from the gymnastics team finals in Tokyo on Tuesday after she said mental health issues wouldn't allow her to perform at her best.

Biles went on to pull out of Thursday's all-around final as well, saying she's still working on getting her head right.

USA Gymnastics praised her for the moves ... explaining, "Her courage shows, yet again, why she is a role model for so many."

It's unclear if the issues will end Biles' run in Tokyo ... there are still some individual events next week the 24-year-old could return for if she feels right.

Gymnastics legend McKayla Maroney, however, said earlier this week she wouldn't be surprised if the issues sideline Biles for a long time -- perhaps even forever.

"I've had a lot of experience with these mental blocks," Maroney said. "They are miserable. They are a gymnast's worst nightmare and they can end your career."

USA!!! USA!!! USA!!!

Team USA's Suni Lee just brought home the gold in the women's gymnastics all-around event at the Tokyo Games ... with teammate Simone Biles showing support from the stands!!

The 18-year-old star crushed her routines en route to the top Olympic honors Thursday night ... becoming the 5th-consecutive American to win the event with a score of 57.433.

Of course, Biles was the heavy favorite to win the event ... but the 4-time gold medalist backed out earlier this week to focus on her mental health.

Biles' absence cleared the way for Lee -- she edged out Brazil's Rebeca Andrade, who took silver with a 57.298 score.

It was quite the nail-biter leading up to the final round -- Lee actually trailed Andrade before the floor routine ... but once it was all over, it was the Red, White, and Blue at the top of the podium.

Biles and the rest of the USA gymnasts cheered on their teammate from the crowd ... and Lee's parents and family went completely BONKERS after Lee won it all!!!

USA's Jade Carey also competed in the event ... finishing 8th.

Congrats to Lee ... now time to celebrate!!!

Team USA skateboarding bronze medalist Jagger Eaton is spilling the beans on the infamous cardboard beds at the Tokyo Games ... telling TMZ Sports they really did SUCK!!!

The beds in the Olympic Village went viral leading up to the Games ... with many believing airweave's design was meant to prevent athletes from getting freaky.

But, the big question -- how on earth the things could actually supply enough comfort for world-class athletes??

So, when Eaton returned from Tokyo on Tuesday, we had to ask about 'em ... and he played it straight!!

"Ugh, those cardboard beds were tough!!" Eaton told us at LAX.

"The funny thing, want to know something funny, I didn’t complain about it once because I knew if I complained about it, I would not get sleep."

But, Eaton came up with a solution -- he tells us he would purposely tire himself out all day ... so when it was time for bed, he'd be out like a light!!

"I ended up just taking my days really long and making them exhausting so I could just sleep."

It definitely worked out for the 20-year-old pro skater -- he ended up winning the bronze medal, the first Olympic skateboard medal for the US!!!

Eaton told us all about his Olympic experience ... saying it was a "friendly battle."

"I feel like I thrive on skating with my friends, that’s what I was doing," Eaton said.

"I was skating with my buddies and I know we’re all going head-to-head, but that’s also why I love these boys and they’re my friends because they want to win too."

Eaton also gave us a glimpse of his shiny Olympic medal and told us he doesn't have his own place yet, "so it’s gonna go to my mom."

Simone Biles pulling out of the Olympics for her own well-being is totally understandable, that is -- if you take into account the pressure around her, and what she's survived ... so says Dominique Dawes.

The legendary gymnast -- who hit the mat as part of Team USA's gold medal-winning 'Magnificent Seven' in '96 -- came on "TMZ Live" Wednesday to talk about Simone's stunning decision to forgo competing in the all-around competition later this week ... and give up defending her gold.

It may have come as a shocker to many, but Dominique tells us she gets it ... and that her heart goes out to Simone for toughing it out as long as she has.

Check out what Dominique says Simone has been dealing with, expectation-wise, for quite some time now. As she goes down the list, ya realize ... SB truly had the weight of the world on her shoulders -- as she alluded to on IG -- especially ahead of the women's gymnastics events in Tokyo, which is off to a shaky start for the Americans.

There's one other major factor that some perhaps forgot about, which Dominique thinks may have played a role here -- namely, the fact Simone is the last Larry Nassar survivor still out there competing, and all the pressure, direct or indirect, stemming from that alone.

Of course, there's also the social media aspect that athletes today have to face ... something she says she didn't have to process when she was in her heyday, but which can get ugly fast if one focuses on the negativity online.

Simone Biles will not be defending her gold medal in the all-around final at the Tokyo Games -- the Olympics superstar has backed out of the competition to continue to focus on her mental health.

24-year-old Biles -- who withdrew from the team finals on Tuesday -- underwent further medical evaluation following the event ... and it was determined it was best she sat out Thursday's finals, USA Gymnastics said in a statement.

Biles was the heavy favorite to win the event ... which would have secured the 5th gold medal of her career.

It may not be the end of Biles' Olympic run, however -- there's still a chance she returns to compete in the individual events next week ... but the team says it all depends on the results of her daily evaluations.

"We wholeheartedly support Simone's decision and applaud her bravery in prioritizing her well-being," USAG said. "Her courage shows, yet again, why she is a role model for so many."

Biles absolutely crushed the competition at the 2016 Rio Games ... posting a 62.366 score, with teammate Aly Raisman taking silver with a 60.607.

McKayla Maroney says the "body glitches" that Simone Biles is currently experiencing could end the gymnastics legend's career ... explaining "a lot of gymnasts actually quit because of these mental blocks."

The 2012 Olympic gold medalist spelled it all out in a powerful video on her social media page Tuesday ... saying she's been in Biles' shoes before, and it's not fun at all.

"I've had a lot of experience with these mental blocks," Maroney said. "They are miserable. They are a gymnast's worst nightmare and they can end your career."

Maroney says during one of her experiences with the body yips ... she actually got seriously hurt, falling off a balance beam and ending up in a pool of tears with a concussion.

Maroney explained the blocks are caused by stress, depression and pressure ... but added they can come out of nowhere for even the best gymnasts too.

"Like, you can't even understand them," Maroney said. "Like, 'Why is this happening to me? I don't know why my body is doing something different.'"

The 25-year-old then went on to praise Biles for having the mental strength to pull out of Tokyo Olympic events over the issues.

"She was smart to protect her body and her mind," Maroney said. "Because it's more important. It just is."

Many other Olympians -- both current and past -- feel the same way as McKayla ... Michael Phelps also threw his support behind Biles on Tuesday.

"We’re human beings, nobody is perfect," the swimming legend said. "It's OK to not be OK. It's OK to go through ups and downs and emotional roller coasters."

"I felt like I was carrying, as Simone said, the weight of the world on my shoulders. It's a tough situation."

Added swimming star Katie Ledecky ... "I really hope that she continues to do what’s best for her and that the people around her, her coaches, her teammates, continue to support her."

Skateboarding superstar Nyjah Huston says he understands the pressure Simone Biles is going through at the Olympics ... telling TMZ Sports people need to realize athletes are human, not emotionless robots.

Biles shockingly withdrew from the gymnastics team finals on Tuesday ... citing her struggles with mental health affecting her performance.

Huston -- who just landed on U.S. soil after competing for Team USA at the Tokyo Games this week -- can relate to the expectations of being the best in a sport ... and tells us it's never easy to have to live up to crazy expectations.

"We’re human you know," Huston said at LAX. "It happens sometimes and dealing with being number one and dealing with all that pressure and nervousness, it’s a real thing. It’s a real thing.

"I feel like sometimes people see us as like robots and out there expecting to win every time. But, in reality, that’s not how it is, and it’s not that easy."

26-year-old Huston -- who placed 7th in the men's street skateboarding event -- adds he wishes he could have finished higher in his first Olympics ... but leaves the door open on competing in 2024.

"Obviously, I wish I could have done better, landed a couple more tricks, but still an honor to be out there representing the USA."

Simone Biles made the right decision pulling out of Olympic competition, 'cause mental health's more important than winning, so says U.S. gymnastics legend Dominique Dawes.

"This young generation of athletes, they are trusting their inner voice and they’re speaking out and they’re saying, 'I am unhealthy,' or 'I’m feeling unhealthier, this environment is unhealthy for me,'" Dawes tells TMZ Sports.

The 3-time Olympian (1 gold, 3 bronze medals) continued ... "And, they’re making decisions based off of their overall long-term health. I think that is the wisest thing that this young 24-year-old could do."

Biles -- a 4x gold medalist -- ignited a firestorm of debate when she bowed out of the medal round of team gymnastics competition ... after saying she was dealing with immense stress in Tokyo.

Dominique says anyone who isn't buying the existence of pressure is flat-out wrong ... 'cause she literally lived it before competing in the Summer Games in Atlanta.

"You know, I feel for her and I feel for her teammates as well. I can definitely relate to the level of pressure that she was feeling. That’s what I felt going into the 1996 Olympic Games."

Dominque ended up winning a gold medal in the team competition ... but it was extremely difficult.

"I felt [pressure] and prior to marching out in the Olympics at the Georgia Dome, I had a little bit of a mental breakdown myself. I remember crying, I remember being overwhelmed and that’s something I went through a lot during my career."

But, Dawes says these games are different because of COVID. No friends and family means no support system for Biles -- who is scheduled to compete in the individual competition on Thursday.

Question is, will she feel well enough to perform? Dawes ... and almost everybody else sure hopes so.

"Hopefully if Simone is up for it and she’s capable mentally, physically, emotionally to get back there for all-around finals, you know, we’ll be there to cheer her on."

Simone Biles has withdrawn from the gymnastics team finals in Tokyo -- the Olympic superstar is dealing with a "medical issue" that has forced her to back out of the event, officials say.

There are conflicting reports on what caused Biles -- quite possibly the greatest gymnast of all time -- to leave the competition. The 24-year-old appeared to suffer an injury early in the event, but the NBC's broadcast stated a coach claimed her withdrawal was due to a "mental issue."

USA Gymnastics released a statement Tuesday morning ... saying, "Simone Biles has withdrawn from the team final competition due to a medical issue. She will be assessed daily to determine medical clearance for future competitions."

Biles seemingly injured her leg after landing her vault attempt ... speaking with a trainer and leaving the floor before returning with her right leg wrapped.

It's crushing news for Team USA -- the Red, White and Blue were favorites to take home the gold for the third-straight Games.

Biles spoke out about the pressure to succeed after prelims on Monday ... saying, "I truly do feel like I have the weight of the world on my shoulders at times."

"I know I brush it off and make it seem like pressure doesn’t affect me but damn sometimes it’s hard hahaha! The olympics is no joke! BUT I’m happy my family was able to be with me virtually🤍 they mean the world to me!"

There's still hope for the 4-time gold medalist -- she could possibly be recovered in time for the all-around finals on Thursday.

Wyoming born wrestler Rulon Gardner inspired the world in 2000 when he traveled to Sydney, Australia to represent Team USA as a heavy-weight Greco-Roman wrestler to compete (and defeat) the unstoppable Russian Aleksandr Karelin in the finals and to take home the gold medal in one of the greatest moments in Olympics history!

That Olympic victory wasn't the most challenging part of Rulon's life ... he also battled through frostbite and hypothermia after a snowmobile accident in 2002 and an airplane crash into a lake in Utah in 2007.

Gardner continues to inspire the world ... but as a motivational speaker!

An Olympic gymnast made a powerful statement during her floor routine this weekend ... by getting on one knee and holding up her fist as a tribute to the Black Lives Matter movement.

18-year-old Luciana Alvarado is the first Costa Rican gymnast to EVER qualify for the Olympics ... and used her platform to shine a light on the fight for equality.

Of course, the International Olympic Committee is allowing athletes to demonstrate at the 2020 Games in Tokyo ... as long as it's not at a medal ceremony or during competition.

Alvarado found of a loophole by including the gesture into her performance ... saying she wanted to send a message of "the importance of everyone treated with respect and dignity and everyone having the same rights."

Alvarado says it's special to use her stage to show those fighting for equality that she stands in solidarity with them.

"Because we’re all the same," Alvarado said, according to the AP. "And we’re all beautiful and amazing."

P!nk says she's proud of the Norwegian women's beach handball team for standing up against the "very sexist rules" about their uniforms ... and she's offering to pay their fines for the protest.

The singer-songwriter went even further with her support too ... by calling on the European Handball Federation to instead be "fined for sexism" for levying financial penalties last week against the women.

ICYMI ... the ladies from Norway made a statement on their sport's uniform double standards last week by wearing shorts during a game instead of the required bikini bottoms.

The team had reportedly been planning the protest for weeks -- as you can see, the men are not required to wear uniforms nearly as revealing as the women -- and it resulted in each player getting fined around $177 each.

A robot basketball player has made its debut at the Tokyo Olympics -- and it turns out, the thing is pretty damn good at shooting baskets ... almost scary good. Actually, just scary.

Check out this robot that Tokyo officials rolled out Sunday for what appears to be a halftime show during a basketball game there between Team USA and France ... which the U.S. ended up losing 83-76.

Besides that news, reporter Ann Killion captured the real headline-grabber ... and that would be this hunk of metal slowly and inartfully sinking shots from a fair distance -- including one basket it made from half-court!

Watch the clip ... the robot starts by swishing a 3-pointer, this after lining it up perfectly and eventually launching the ball straight through the net. Then, it heads down to the mid-court logo, where it does the same thing -- picking the ball up by itself, and then chucking it.

Sure enough, that ball goes through as well. Obviously, the robot can get buckets, and even though it's slow to the draw ... it's clearly quite accurate. Shoot, maybe Team USA shoulda recruited this thing to be one of their wingmen! They sure needed the help.

All jokes aside ... the fact this robot can actually make its way up and down the floor and put up shots on its own is pretty incredible. It's a testament to technology, but also ... perhaps a sign of what may come in the future. Who's to say they won't make a full-blown team of robots one day???

Considering what Boston Dynamics is doing with their robots and how far they've come in making them move seamlessly, like humans, something tells us that possibility is one that could come about. We certainly have the tech to do it -- but do we actually wanna???