Simone Biles was denied the golden sweep.
The star American gymnast entered Monday having won a gold medal in every final in which she competed Olympics in Paris 2024but she was unable to reach the podium in the balance beam final.
The 27-year-old scored 13,100 to finish tied for fifth with USA teammate Suni Lee, who also fell during her routine. It was the first time since 2000 that an American failed to reach the women’s balance beam podium.
Italy’s Alice D’Amato took gold with 14.366, China’s Zhoi Yaquin took bronze with 14.100 and Italy’s Manila Esposito took bronze with 14.000.
Biles, who won bronze in beam at the Rio Olympics and the Tokyo Olympics, was looking to become the first three-time Olympic medalist in the event.
She entered after winning gold in vault, all-around and the team final in Paris. With a total of 10 Olympic medals, she needs one more top-three finish to tie Czechoslovakia’s Vera Caslavska for second most by a female gymnast in Olympic history behind Larisa Latynina, who had 18 for the Soviet Union.
With seven gold medals, Biles entered the event tied with Allyson Felix for third-most all-time among U.S. women, behind only Katie Ledecky (9) and Jenny Thomson (8). Latynina, who competed between 1956 and 1964, has the most Olympic gold medals won by a woman with nine.
Biles still has a chance to add another medal to her collection in Paris when she competing in the floor exercise at 8:23 ET/5:23 PT on E!, Peacock and NBCOlympics.com. Biles won gold in the event at the 2016 Olympics and was forced to withdraw from the event three years ago in Tokyo to focus on her mental health.
Biles also hasn’t ruled out competing at the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles when she turns 31 years old.
Here is a list of Simone Biles medals:
- Paris Olympics 2024 – Gold – Vault
- Olympics in Paris 2024 – Gold – Allround
- Paris Olympics 2024 – Gold – Team
- Olympics in Tokyo 2020 – Silver – Team
- Tokyo Olympics 2020 – Bronze – Balance beam
- Rio Olympics 2016 – Gold – Floor
- Rio Olympics 2016 – Gold – Balance beam
- Rio Olympics 2016 – Gold – Vault
- Olympic Games in Rio 2016 – Gold – Allround
- Rio Olympics 2016 – Gold – Team