Simone Biles Thinks She Knows The ‘Awkward’ Reason So Many Gymnasts Fell At The Olympics During The Balance Beam Final

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Simone Biles Thinks She Knows The 'Awkward' Reason So Many Gymnasts Fell At The Olympics During The Balance Beam Final

As a seasoned gamer of life, who has lived through countless twists and turns, I must say that the gymnastics finals at the Paris Olympics were a roller coaster ride without the adrenaline-pumping music!

In the final round of the balance beam competition at the Paris Olympics, things didn’t go smoothly as expected. Four out of eight contestants lost their footing during their performances, while another needed to hold onto the beam to avoid falling. There were also many shaky moments, attempts to regain balance, and anxious gestures, suggesting that the competitors found it challenging to complete their routines without error. At one stage, commentator Laurie Hernandez humorously suggested inspecting the apparatus, but it seems there was no issue with the equipment. Instead, an “uncomfortable” situation occurred, which didn’t impact the device itself.

Following the conclusion of the finals, American standouts Simone Biles and Suni Lee, who experienced falls during their performances, addressed the media. Interestingly, they both cited an unusual issue: the quietness. If you’ve ever attended a gymnastics competition or watched one on TV, you’d know it’s usually quite lively. With multiple events taking place simultaneously and music playing from the floor exercises, there’s often a lot of noise. However, this time was different. Here’s what Biles shared with reporters post-competition, as reported by NBC…

The atmosphere was quite uncomfortable and unusual. Multiple times, we requested some music or ambient sounds, but nothing seemed to change. Frankly, I’m unsure about the reason for that situation, yet it certainly wasn’t enjoyable for any of us. We all disliked it intensely.

Initially, Biles executed her routine flawlessly, hinting at the possibility of claiming an eighth gold medal, reinforcing her legendary status. However, misfortune struck as she lost balance during a sequence of flips towards the end, causing her to fall from the beam. The same fate befell her teammate Suni Lee; she appeared steady throughout her routine, but after a slightly off-target landing, it seemed she tumbled unexpectedly, highlighting a minor discrepancy in her landing. Subsequently, both athletes attributed their missteps to the atmosphere and identified a similar challenge that Biles had encountered.

It was too quiet. I could literally hear myself breathing.

It’s likely that the organizers will consider adjustments when the Summer Olympics move to Los Angeles in 2028, but yesterday’s disappointing news for Biles, Lee, and others took a positive turn for Alice D’Amato. The Italian gymnast had some stumbles during her routine, but she was generally very strong, successfully completing what was required, and claimed an unexpected gold medal – the first ever for Italy in women’s gymnastics. Zhou Yaqin from China joined D’Amato on the podium after overcoming a near fall and a 0.5 penalty for touching the bar, earning her a silver medal. D’Amato’s fellow Italian Manila Esposito won bronze at only seventeen years old and looked absolutely ecstatic.

Luckily for Simone Biles and Suni Lee, they each have numerous cherished moments (and costly leotards) to keep from their time in Paris. In the team competition, both athletes secured a gold medal, and individually, they excelled significantly. Specifically, Biles won golds in the all-around and vault, took silver on floor exercise, while Lee claimed bronze in the all-around and uneven bars.

The gymnastics competitions have come to an end, yet there’s still plenty more Olympic action to enjoy! Over the next few days, you can catch the final rounds of sports like track and field, volleyball, and many others.

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2024-08-06 17:07