Simone Biles faced a tough day at the Summer Olympics in Paris, where she slipped off the balance beam and made a few costly mistakes during the floor exercise. Unfortunately, this meant that for the first time during these Games, Biles didn’t take home a gold medal.
But don’t let these setbacks fool you—Biles’ performance in Paris has still been nothing short of amazing, especially when you consider her triumphant return after a tough experience at the Tokyo Olympics three years ago.
During the individual beam final, things didn’t go as planned. Biles lost her balance and fell off the beam, ending her hopes of making more history in France. In the end, Alice D’Amato from Italy claimed the gold, Zhou Yaqin from China took silver, and Italy’s Manila Esposito earned the bronze.
Later on, Biles took to the floor exercise, an event she usually dominates. She put on what seemed like another incredible performance, but two moments where she stepped out of bounds cost her valuable points. Her final score was 14.133, just behind Brazil’s Rebeca Andrade, who won gold with a score of 14.166.
Even though the day didn’t end with another gold, Biles’ overall performance in Paris has been extraordinary. She has continued to build her legacy by winning gold in the team event with Team USA, the individual all-around competition, and the vault final.
With these wins, Biles became the most decorated American Olympic gymnast in history, racking up 11 Olympic medals, including seven golds. She also set a new record as the oldest American gymnast to win a gold medal at 27.
Reflecting on her achievements, Biles remained upbeat and proud. “I accomplished way more than my wildest dreams—not just at this Olympics, but in this sport,” Biles told reporters. “So I can’t be mad at my performances.
A couple years ago, I didn’t think I’d be back here at an Olympic Games, so competing and then walking away with four medals, I’m not mad about it. I’m pretty proud of myself.”
Biles had a shot at tying an incredible record if she had won both the beam and floor exercises on Monday. The only two women who have ever won nine Olympic gold medals are American swimmer Katie Ledecky and Soviet gymnast Larisa Latynina. Now, Biles will look ahead to the Los Angeles 2028 Games for another chance to reach that milestone.
The beam final was challenging not just for Biles but for other competitors too, including her teammate Sunisa Lee. Lee also had a tough time, losing her footing and landing awkwardly on the beam before falling to the mat. She finished in sixth place, right behind Biles.
“It was a lot of pressure. It was just crazy to see how everybody was going down like that,” Lee said. “You could feel the tension in the room. The crowd shushing us for cheering. We didn’t like that as it was just so silent in there. I love hearing my teammates cheer for me.”
Biles also talked about the strange atmosphere during the beam final, mentioning how the silence and the crowd’s shushing made things uncomfortable. She said that gymnasts have asked for background music during beam finals before but have always been turned down. “I don’t know. It was really weird and awkward,” Biles said.
“And we’ve asked several times if we can have some music or some background noise, so I’m not really sure what happened there. But yeah, not our favorite. None of us liked it.”
Despite the challenges, Biles continues to be one of the most iconic figures in gymnastics history. Her achievements in Paris only add to her legendary status, solidifying her place as one of the greatest athletes of all time.
Share your thoughts in the comments down below!
