Simone Biles falls off balance beam, closes her Paris Olympics journey with silver medal
After taking gold in the individual all-around final, the women’s vault and the team all-around event, Simone Biles targeted more success in Paris on the final day of gymnastics competition.
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However, as many of the competitors struggled to stay on the beam in their routines, Biles also fell to miss out on a medal. Italy's Alice D’Amato took gold.
Biles did not make it onto the podium in the beam event on Monday, August 5, her second to last in Paris, after she was the fourth gymnast of the day to fall at the Bercy Arena.
Some of the competitors in front of Biles stumbled during their routines, including fellow American Suni Lee, who crashed off the beam to miss out on a medal.
The balance beam was the only individual event Biles medaled at in Tokyo, earning the bronze after withdrawing from a majority of events with the “twisties.”
Biles’ fall opened the door for Italy’s Alice D’Amato, who won her country’s first ever Olympic gold medal in women’s gymnastics with a score of 14.366.
However just a couple of hours later at the Bercy Arena - in front of Tom Brady - Biles was all smiles in what was her last performance of the Games, and perhaps her Olympic career.
The 27-year-old superstar put all the drama of earlier in the day behind her and was all smiles as a fine routine left the crowd on their feet.
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But the judges had no choice but to apply deductions for a final score of 14.133 - without them it would have been an eighth career Olympic gold medal.
Confirmation of silver was confirmed when Biles US teammate Jordan Chiles score was corrected after an inquiry.