After her struggles in Tokyo three years ago, Simone Biles made a huge recovery when she stumbled in the Paris Summer Olympics and lost out on a gold medal for the first time.
Biles stumbled and fell from the apparatus in the individual beam final, ending any chance she had of adding to her legacy in France. Italy’s Alice D’Amato won the gold medal in the competition, followed by China’s Zhou Yaqin in second place and another Italian, Manila Esposito, in third.
Biles performed brilliantly in the floor final, a venue in which she had excelled throughout the Paris Games. She finished with a score of 14.133, just behind Brazil’s Rebeca Andrade, who won gold with a score of 14.166, although two out-of-bounds landings cost her six tenths of a point.
Her Performance Is Still Outstanding Still,
Biles’ total performance at the Games is still remarkable in spite of these losses. She had already broken records by winning gold in the vault final, the individual all-around, and the team event with Team USA.
With her current collection of 11 Olympic medals, which includes seven gold ones, Biles stands as the most decorated American gymnast in history. Her age of 27 made her the oldest American gymnast to win a gold medal in the Olympics.
What Was Said by Simone?
Instead of expressing disappointment, Biles displayed joy in her journey. She told reporters, “Not just at this Olympics, but in this sport, I accomplished way more than my wildest dreams.”
“I’m not upset with myself because, a few years ago, I never imagined that I would be back here at an Olympic Games, let alone competing and winning four medals. I feel rather pleased with myself.
If Biles had won both the beam and floor routines, she would have tied the record for the most gold medals won by a female athlete at the Olympics. With nine gold medals between them, Soviet gymnast Larisa Latynina and American swimmer Katie Ledecky hold the record. Biles won’t be able to try to hit that mark until the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.
