Aug 3, 2021 – Simone Biles made an acclaimed return to the Tokyo Olympics, with a final stand on the balance beam that earned her a bronze medal, her record-breaking seventh career medal.
Biles, who started with only the seventh best qualifying score, came third with a score of 14,000. China’s 16-year-old sensation Guan Chenchen (14.633) won gold, and teammate Tang Xijing Tag (14.233) took silver. They were the two highest qualifiers and therefore the favorites to win.
“I was just happy to be able to perform regardless of the result,” said Biles. “I did it for myself and was glad that I could compete again. … training for 5 years and coming here and somehow being triggered and not being able to do anything was no fun. “
Biles has struggled with the Twisties since the team final a week ago and retired from the competition after tripping over one of their routine jumps. She cited her inability to perform due to mental stress, which led to the gymnast receiving support on all social media.
She did not finish the team competition and withdrew from the all-around, jump, uneven bars, and floor finals for which she had qualified. She was the defending gold medalist on all but bars.
To qualify for the balance beam competition, she had two sessions with a sports psychologist.
“That really helped me keep my cool and miss the other finals,” said Biles. “Seeing her being the girls’ greatest cheerleader wasn’t where I wanted to get to these Olympics, especially after qualifying for five.” [finals]. But I knew physically that I literally couldn’t make it. “
Biles was also given medical exams every day, and she had to answer questions from a doctor from the International Gymnastics Federation on Monday evening in order to be cleared for competition.
Biles said that she was trying to work through the twisties, which is how gymnasts describe the sudden disconnection between her air awareness and the muscle memory her body built over time. They cannot tell where they are in the air and how or if they will land.
It is dangerous for any gymnast, but for Biles – whose gymnastics are the most difficult of all in the world – it carries a significant risk of injury.
Since she could not make turns, she replaced her normal descent with a double pike.
“I train ray every day. We only decided at the last minute to change relegation, which I probably haven’t done since I was 12, ”said Biles. “On the beam, this work is easy. I’ve always been able to do something, but it just turned out that we didn’t know what we were doing or what we were going to do in the final. “
When she landed her descent cleanly, Biles smiled, appreciating the cheers from teammates, opponents, officials, and everyone else who had gathered at the competition.
“The only reason I could beam was because there was no twisting,” she said, “so thank God for that.”
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Yahoo Sports: “Simone Biles takes bronze on the balance beam in the rousing Olympic final.”
USA Today: “How Simone Biles was cleared for the balance beam finals of the Tokyo Olympics.”
Twitter: @TeamUSA, August 3, 2021.
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