Simone Biles falls off balance beam to cost herself Olympics medal

A rare fall cost Simone Biles her first medal of the 2024 Olympics.

Biles did not make it onto the podium in the beam event Monday, her second to last in Paris, after she was the fourth gymnast of the day to fall at Bercy Arena.

Finishing with a score of 13.100, Biles lost her chance of tying Larisa Latynina’s all-time Olympic gold medal record by a female American gymnast in these games.

Simone Biles falling off the balance beam during the women's final at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, with photographers capturing the moment
Simone Biles falls off the balance beam on Aug. 5, 2024.AFP via Getty Images
Simone Biles of Team United States reacting after a fall and climbing back onto the balance beam during the Artistic Gymnastics Women's Balance Beam Final at Olympic Games Paris 2024
Simone Biles climbs back on the balance beam.Getty Images
Simone Biles in a blue and white leotard reacting after her balance beam performance at the Paris 2024 Olympics.
Simone Biles during the balance beam event on Aug. 5, 2024.REUTERS

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.

Biles wore her goat necklace as another GOAT, Tom Brady, was in attendance to support her.

She has won three golds in Paris thus far in the team competition, all-around and vault.

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.”

Alice D'Amato of Italy performing her gold-winning balance beam routine at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games
Alice D’Amato won gold for Italy in the balance beam.AFP via Getty Images
Simone Biles in a blue tracksuit entering Bercy Arena to compete in the women's balance beam final at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games
Simone Biles enters Bercy Arena for the beam finals in the Paris Olympics on Aug. 5, 2024.AFP via Getty Images
Suni Lee, in a white leotard, falling off the balance beam during the women's artistic gymnastics finals at the 2024 Paris Olympics
Suni Lee falls off the balance beam during the Paris Olympics on Aug. 5, 2024.AP

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.

China’s Zhou Yaqin captured silver (14.366), while Italy’s Manila Esposito earned bronze (14.000).

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