TOKYO • Simone Biles arrived in Tokyo as the star of the U.S. Olympic movement and perhaps the Games themselves. She convinced herself she was prepared for the pressure. That she was ready to carry the burden of outsized expectations.

Only, as the women’s gymnastics team final approached on Tuesday, something felt off. And the athlete widely considered the Greatest of All Time in her sport knew it.

So rather than push through the doubts that crept into her head as she’s done so many times in the past, Biles decided enough was enough. She was done. For now.

The American star withdrew after one rotation, opening the door for the team of Russian athletes to win gold for the first time in nearly three decades.

Jordan Chiles, Sunisa Lee and Grace Mccallum guided the U.S. to silver while Biles cheered from the sideline in a white sweatsuit, at peace with a decision that revealed a shift not only in Biles but

perhaps the sport she’s redefined.

“We also have to focus on ourselves, because at the end of the day we’re human, too,” Biles said. “So, we have to protect our mind and our body, rather than just go out there and do what the world wants us to do.”

The Americans — fueled by an uneven bars routine by Lee not even Biles could match — drew within eight-tenths of a point through three rotations. ROC, however, never wavered on floor. They erupted when 21-year-old Angelina Melnikova’s score assured them of the top podium spot for the first time since the Unified Team won in Barcelona in 1992.

The victory came a day after ROC men’s team edged Japan in the men’s final. Great Britain edged Italy for bronze. The U.S. men were fifth.

“The impossible is possible now,” Melnikova said.

Perhaps in more ways than one. In the five years since Biles and the U.S. put on a

dazzling display on their way to gold in Rio de Janeiro, gymnastics has undergone a reckoning. The tectonic plates in a sport where obedience, discipline and silence were long considered as important as talent and artistry are moving.

Biles has become an outspoken advocate for athlete’s rights and the importance of proper mental health. There was a time, there were many times actually, where she felt she wasn’t right and just powered through because that’s what people expected of her.

Not anymore. And the stand she took could resonate far beyond the color of any medal she may win in Tokyo.

Biles is the latest in a series of high-profile athletes, including tennis star Naomi Osaka, who have used platforms to discuss mental heath struggles. A subject that was once taboo has become far more accepted and embraced.

U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee CEO Sarah Hirshland applauded Biles for prioritizing her “mental wellness over all else” and offered the organization’s full support. USA Gymnastics women’s program vice-president called Biles’ act “incredibly selfless.”

Biles posted on social media Monday that she felt the weight of the world on her shoulders after an uncharacteristically sloppy showing during qualifying left the Americans looking up at the ROC on the scoreboard.

The tension affected her practice. It affected her confidence. And when she stepped onto the vault runway, it finally found its way to her performance, too.

“To see her kind of go out like that is very sad because this Olympic Games, I feel like, is kind of hers,” Lee said.

Biles is scheduled to defend her Olympic title in the allaround Thursday. She qualified for all four event finals later. She said she will regroup Wednesday before deciding whether to continue.

Without Biles, the U.S. needed to be near perfect to win. It didn’t happen.

Not that Chiles or the rest of the Americans particularly cared. The gold might be gone, but something more significant may have happened.

“This medal is definitely for (Biles),” said Chiles. “If it wasn’t if it wasn’t for her, we wouldn’t be here where we are right now.”