At the Summer Olympics in Paris, Simone Biles had her first ever misstep, and she failed to win gold. Unfortunately for Biles, her dreams of further solidifying her legacy were crushed when she stumbled and fell off the apparatus in the individual beam final. Alice D’Amato of Italy took first place, with Zhou Yaqin of China and Manila Esposito of Italy following closely behind.
On the floor, Biles performed an outstanding routine; nonetheless, she narrowly lost to Rebeca Andrade of Brazil for the gold medal due to two landings outside of the confines of the arena. Biles nevertheless managed to win a total of eleven medals at the Olympics, including gold in the vault, the individual all-around, and the team event, despite these defeats.
“I achieved way more than my wildest dreams,” Biles reflected on her path. Her 27 years of age made her the first American gymnast to ever win an Olympic gold medal. “I never imagined I’d be back here at the Olympic Games just a couple of years ago,” she continued, her voice filled with joy at her accomplishments. At the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, Biles plans to set new personal bests.