Even the least perceptive young person must have realized that doing a bunk from the team competition and then competing as an individual would lose her every bit of sympathy and wreck her brand.
Her brand has been built up beyond what is sustainable thanks to way too much fawning media coverage. That fawning coverage is going to continue, and all the fake sweetness, light, and spin is going to make people turn away and tune out. Everyone loves a winner so if she delivers a win later, people will tune back in. Meanwhile you have some pretty spectacular wins in swimming and other events.