Paris, Aug 5 – Simone Biles, the USA’s premier artistic gymnast, fell short of securing her eighth Olympic gold medal at the Paris 2024 Games. Competing in two events on Monday, Biles won silver in the women’s gymnastics floor exercise while finishing fifth on the balance beam. This brings her total medal count for the Paris Olympics to three golds and one silver, adding to her impressive career tally of seven golds, two silvers, and two bronzes.
Brazil’s Rebeca Andrade claimed the gold in the floor exercise with a score of 14.166, narrowly edging out Biles, who scored 14.133. Jordan Chiles of the United States secured the bronze with a score of 13.766, which was upgraded after a review of her routine. Romania’s Ana Barbosu, who initially thought she had won bronze, was ultimately displaced by Chiles’s revised score.
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Biles, widely celebrated as one of the greatest gymnasts of all time, had already achieved significant success at the Paris Games, winning gold in the team event and the all-around competition, as well as capturing the vault title with her signature Yurchenko double pike.
However, her quest for additional gold was marred by errors. On the balance beam, Biles fell while performing a backward walk, leading to a fifth-place finish with a score of 13.100. Italy’s Alice D’Amato took gold in the beam event, with China’s Zhou Yaqin earning silver and Italy’s Manila Esposito securing bronze.
In the floor exercise final, Biles’s routine was also impacted by errors, with two out-of-bounds landings proving costly. Despite the setbacks, Biles received a standing ovation from her fans as she acknowledged their support.
Biles, who has been a dominant force in gymnastics, hinted at the possibility of retirement after the Paris Games, expressing uncertainty about competing in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics due to her age. However, she remains focused on her performance in the remaining events at the current Games, aiming for one final gold.
Key Points:
- Medal Results: Simone Biles won silver in the women’s gymnastics floor exercise at the Paris 2024 Olympics, while Brazil’s Rebeca Andrade claimed gold and Jordan Chiles of the USA took bronze.
- Balance Beam Performance: Biles finished fifth on the balance beam, following a fall during her routine. Italy’s Alice D’Amato won gold in this event, with China’s Zhou Yaqin and Italy’s Manila Esposito taking silver and bronze, respectively.
- Overall Medal Count: At the Paris Olympics, Biles has secured three gold medals and one silver, bringing her total Olympic medal count to seven golds, two silvers, and two bronzes.
- Errors Impact Performance: Biles’s performance in the floor exercise and balance beam was affected by errors, including out-of-bounds landings and a fall off the beam.
- Previous Achievements: Biles had already won gold in the team event, all-around, and vault, and had been a dominant force in gymnastics prior to these events.
- Future Plans: Biles has expressed uncertainty about competing in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics due to her age but remains focused on her performance at the current Games.
- Fan Support: Despite the setbacks, Biles received a standing ovation from fans and acknowledged their support following her performances.
