Simone Biles did not anticipate such an outcome in the floor exercise final, where she was unexpectedly surpassed by Brazilian gymnast Rebeca Andrade. However, a silver medal on Monday marked a triumphant conclusion to the American's extraordinary Olympic return. Biles' performance was marred by stepping out of bounds at the end of two of her four tumbling sequences, which led to a penalty of six tenths of a point, determining the difference between gold and silver. Despite this, Biles secured her 11th Olympic medal and demonstrated exceptional sportsmanship by celebrating and embracing Jordan Chiles after her friend's successful appeal moved her from fifth to the bronze medal position.
Biles, the most decorated gymnast ever, acknowledged that fatigue was beginning to affect her on the final day of the demanding competition. "Obviously, it wasn't my best performance, but at the end of the day, whoever medalled, medalled," she stated. "And that's what's so exciting about gymnastics—you just never know. So I'm not upset about my performance at the Olympics. I'm actually very happy, proud, and even more excited that it's over." Biles, who was heavily favored in the final due to the complexity of her routine, suffered significant consequences for her errors, missing out on a fourth gold medal. Andrade won the top prize with a nearly flawless, albeit less challenging, performance, earning a score of 14.166 from the judges.
Biles' routine initially showed promise with a successful triple twisting double back, but the intensity of her tumbling sequences caused her to step out of bounds on her subsequent attempts. Her performance ended with her anxiously awaiting her score of 14.133, which placed her below Andrade by just 0.033 of a point. Displaying no ill will, Biles enthusiastically congratulated Andrade, who had previously finished runner-up to Biles in the all-around and vault finals. The American duo bowed to Andrade from the lower platforms of the podium as she accepted her medal, a moment that quickly became iconic.
The final day of the artistic gymnastics program also brought disappointment for Biles in the balance beam final, where she finished fifth after a slip. Italian Alice D'Amato unexpectedly won the competition, with four of the eight finalists experiencing falls. Despite the less than perfect ending, the Paris Games signify a successful comeback for the 27-year-old Biles, who led the U.S. to the team title and won gold in the all-around and vault. Biles, who withdrew from the Tokyo Games due to a mental block known as the "twisties," has returned to the sport healthy and dominant, and has not ruled out competing in the Los Angeles Games in 2028. "I've accomplished way more than my wildest dreams," Biles reflected. "Not just at this Olympics, but in the sport. So I can't be disappointed with my performances."
