Furious Simone Biles hits out at Olympic crowd after out-of-character mistake costs her medal
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Simone Biles settled for fifth place in her penultimate event at the 2024 Olympics following a tough routine as an unusual mistake cost her a spot on the podium.
After winning all-around, vault and team gymnastics titles in Paris, Biles, 27, had the chance to add a fourth to her tally today (August 5) as she took on the 10cm-wide individual balance beam.
However, she lost her balance while performing an aerial series and fell to the floor.
BBC reported that encouraging shouts of ‘Come on Simone’ could be heard in the venue alongside ‘shushing’ sounds from others in the audience.
Despite the blip, the Olympian regained composure and returned to the balance beam to earn a score of 13.100.
Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough for her to medal and she placed fifth.
Simone Biles scored 13.100 in the individual balance beam. (Manu Reino/Europa Press via Getty Images)
Meanwhile, Italian Alice D’Amato took home the coveted gold medal, Zhou Yaqin from China placed second and Italy’s Manila Esposito brought home bronze.
Following the feat, Biles—who is the most decorated gymnast in history— returned to the athlete seating area where she was rejoined by her coach and fellow Team USA gymnast Sunisa Lee, 21.
The trio began talking and it’s claimed Biles was frustrated with the ‘shushing’ coming from the audience, as per Metro.
“Why are they all shushing? As soon as I’m going they’re like shushing so much,” she apparently said.
Lee allegedly added: “I don’t know why, are they [the Olympic gymnastics organisers] telling them to?”
The latter, who also fell off the bar, eventually placed sixth in the individual balance beam with a score of 13.100.
Biles is the most decorated gymnast in history. (Naomi Baker/Getty Images)
She later told the press that the ‘pressure was definitely on’ for the gymnasts.
“I don’t know if you could tell, but a lot of people were definitely feeling it,” she continued.
“I think it was the crowd but also just knowing that we’re so close to being done and just adding that extra stress of wanting to end it off the right way.”
She later told PEOPLE that the event ‘didn’t go the way’ she wanted it to and that she ‘didn’t even know’ what happened in her series that made her fall.
This summer has marked a triumphant Olympic comeback for Biles after being forced to withdraw from the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, citing mental health issues.
After overcoming a bout of the ‘twisties’ and working with a therapist, the Team USA gymnast has pocketed three gold medals and still has the chance to claim a fourth.
Biles will compete once more at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games as she partakes in the Floor finals this afternoon.
Featured Image Credit: Manu Reino/Europa Press via Getty Images
Why Simone Biles hit out at Olympic crowd after out-of-character mistake costs her medal
Many were surprised by her out-of-character mistake on the beam
Simone Biles has left Paris with her head held high after four Olympic medals took her all-time total up to 11.
Combined with the casual 40 World Championship medals, she is now the most decorated gymnast in history.
While Biles managed to land three gold spots in this year’s games, one event left her disappointed after she lost her balance on the beam – much to the shock of those watching.
The Olympian managed to regain composure and returned to the beam to earn a score of 13.100, but sadly it wasn’t enough for her to medal as she placed fifth.
Italian Alice D’Amato took home the coveted gold medal, Zhou Yaqin from China placed second and Italy’s Manila Esposito took bronze.
Simone Biles eventually placed fifth (Xavier Laine/Getty Images)
What went wrong?
Many people were surprised by Biles’ out-of-character mistake, considering she is considered to be one of the greatest gymnasts in the world – if not THE greatest gymnast.
The BBC reported that encouraging shouts of ‘Come on Simone’ could be heard in the venue when she had been on the beam, alongside ‘shushing’ sounds from others in the audience – something Biles had picked up on.
As she returned to the athlete seating area to rejoin her coach and fellow Team USA gymnast Sunisa Lee, she reportedly asked: “Why are they all shushing?
“As soon as I’m going they’re like shushing so much.”
Lee – who also fell off the bar and placed sixth in the individual balance beam with a score of 13.100 – added: “I don’t know why, are they [the Olympic gymnastics organisers] telling them to?”
Simone Biles speaks out
Biles has since spoken out about the understandably ‘odd final’, telling the Press Association that she could hear various off-putting sounds while competing.
“The beam final is always the most stressful, usually we have music or background noise, whatever that may be, and honestly we do better in environments when there’s noise going on because it feels the most like practice,” she said.
Her frustration was understandable, but thankfully she hardly went home empty-handed (Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
“Today you could hear the ringtones going off, the photo clickers, whatever that was and you’re trying to stay in your zone and then the people start cheering and the shushing gets louder so they should be shushed because they’re louder.
“I don’t know, it was really weird and awkward and we’d asked if we’ve could have some music or some background noise, so I’m not really sure what happened there. It’s not our favourite, none of us liked it.
“It was an odd beam final.”
Still, she’s hardly done badly for Paris, having ended the games with a silver medal on the floor.
She added: “A couple of years ago I didn’t think I’d be back at an Olympic games so competing and walking away with four medals, I’m not mad about it, I’m pretty proud of myself and it’s always so exciting to compete.”
Featured Image Credit: BBC/Daniela Porcelli/Eurasia Sport Images/Getty Images
Simone Biles breaks silence on hitting out at Olympic crowd after out-of-character mistake cost her medal
Simone Biles admitted it had been an ‘odd final’
Simone Biles has broken her silence after hitting out at the Olympic crowd when an out-of-character mistake earlier today ended up costing her a medal.
After winning all-around, vault and team gymnastics titles in Paris, Biles, 27, had the chance to add a fourth to her tally today as she took on the 10cm-wide individual balance beam.
The Olympian managed to regain composure and returned to the balance beam to earn a score of 13.100, but sadly it wasn’t enough for her to medal as she placed fifth.
The BBC reported that encouraging shouts of ‘Come on Simone’ could be heard in the venue when she had been on the beam, alongside ‘shushing’ sounds from others in the audience – something Biles had picked up on.
“Why are they all shushing?” she reportedly asked her fellow teammates and coach.
“As soon as I’m going they’re like shushing so much.”
Her mistake sadly cost her a medal (Eurasia Sport Images/Getty Images)
She has now spoken out about the ‘odd final’, telling the Press Association that she could hear various off-putting sounds while competing.
“The beam final is always the most stressful, usually we have music or background noise, whatever that may be, and honestly we do better in environments when there’s noise going on because it feels the most like practice,” she said.
“Today you could hear the ringtones going off, the photo clickers, whatever that was and you’re trying to stay in your zone and then the people start cheering and the shushing gets louder so they should be shushed because they’re louder.
“I don’t know, it was really weird and awkward and we’d asked if we’ve could have some music or some background noise, so I’m not really sure what happened there. It’s not our favourite, none of us liked it.
“It was an odd beam final.”
She admitted it had been an ‘odd final’ (Naomi Baker/Getty Images)
Still, she’s hardly done badly for Paris, having ended the games with a silver medal on the floor.
“Today has been absolutely wild,” Biles continued.
“I’ve been competing here for a week or so now, so obviously exhaustion sets in now but we still had to go out and compete one more time today and it’s such an honour to compete with these girls on the beam and floor.
“Obviously it wasn’t my best performances but on the day, whoever medalled medalled and that’s what is so exciting with gymnastics.
“I’m not upset about my performance or anything, I’m actually very happy, proud and even more excited that it’s over!
“I’ve accomplished way more than my wildest dreams, not just at this Olympics but in the sport – I can’t be mad at my performances.”
She added: “A couple of years ago I didn’t think I’d be back at an Olympic games so competing and walking away with four medals, I’m not mad about it, I’m pretty proud of myself and it’s always so exciting to compete.”
Featured Image Credit: Naomi Baker/Getty Images/Eurasia Sport Images/Getty Images
Simone Biles hates being asked one question after Olympic wins
Simone Biles has already picked up three gold medals at the Paris Games
Team USA gymnast Simone Biles has hit out at people who ask Olympic athletes a certain question after winning medals.
27-year-old Biles is undeniably dominating the Artistic Gymnastics programme at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
The gymnast has already earned two individual gold medals in the Women’s Vault and All-Round competitions and spearheaded Team USA’s win in the Women’s Team category.
Today (August 5), Biles earned a score of 13.1 in the Balance Beam final after a fall, thus missing out on a podium position.
She still has one more chance at gold as she vies for first place in the Floor Exercise final later this afternoon.
But ahead of today’s events, the Ohio-born star sent a plea out to the press who will be interviewing her.
Simone Biles wants to celebrate her success. (Naomi Baker/Getty Images)
On Sunday (4 August) she posted on X and implored people to stop questioning her on ‘what’s next?’
“You guys really gotta stop asking athletes what’s next after they win a medal at the Olympics,” she typed.
“Let us soak up the moment we’ve worked our whole lives for.”
To hammer her point home, she replied to someone who commented: “What is your next step after winning gold medal??” By saying: “Babysitting the medal.”
Understandably, the seven-time gold medallist wants to revel in her success at the 2024 Olympics after pulling out of the 2020 Tokyo event with the ‘twisties’.
The latter is a psychological phenomenon where athletes, such as gymnasts and divers, lose all sense of where their body is in the air.
In 2021, Biles claimed that a combination of mental stress and pressure had caused her to experience the ‘twisties’ and later withdraw from the Olympics.
The 27-year-old is the most decorated gymnast in history. (Tom Weller/VOIGT/GettyImages)
The move was widely criticised and this year Biles has employed a therapist to help with her mental health.
“The negative comments are painful up to a certain point,” she said, as per Sky Sports.
“They hurt but I’m still in therapy working on all that, to make sure my mental health is well. But they (the critics) are really quiet now, so that’s strange.
“After all these years of putting the mental work in, it’s paid off. I’m super excited to be on this stage again.”
The 27-year-old added that the Olympics is ‘such a draining process’ for athletes so it’s imperative you’re on top of your ‘mental as well as physical [health]’.
“As long as we’re doing that, then we’re good. And so far I feel good,” Biles continued.
“Once we’re out here, the floor is our stage. It feels so freeing for us because we’re in our element, we’re having fun, we’re doing what we love to do.”
Featured Image Credit: Tom Weller/VOIGT/GettyImages/Naomi Baker/Getty Images
Topics: Olympics, Sport, Simone Biles, Celebrity
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Simone Biles gets ‘blocked’ following brutal message to former team mate after gold medal win
Simone Biles posted a cryptic message aimed at comments made by her former teammate MyKala Skinner
Simone Biles has been blocked by her former Olympics teammate after the gold medalist took a savage swipe at the gymnast using her very own words.
Biles is now the most decorated gymnast in Olympics history after she won yet another gold medal in the 2024 Paris games in the women’s artistic team all-around event.
Celebrating the win with her team – which was made up of gymnasts Jordan Chiles, Suni Lee, Jade Carey, and Hezly Rivera – she posted an Instagram snap of the women celebrating with an American flag.
Yet another Gold for Team USA! (Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
But it’s what she captioned the post has caused quite the stir.
She simply captioned the picture: “Lack of talent, lazy, Olympic champions.” Which, quite frankly, is genius.
It comes after Olympic silver medallist MyKayla Skinner questioned the talent and worth ethic of the USA Gymnastics’ Olympic team after not being picked earlier this year.
In a now-deleted video, Skinner said: “…besides Simone, I feel like the talent and the depth just isn’t like what it used to be.”
“The girls just don’t have the work ethic,” she added.
MyKayla Skinner and Simone Biles were teammates in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. (LOIC VENANCE/AFP via Getty Images)
She was quick to retract her claims, however, and swiftly put out an apology defending the sport, in which she said: “I want to formally apologise to Team USA and to our gymnastic community for my comments during my recent YouTube episodes of the gymnastics Olympic trials.
“It was not my intention to offend or disrespect any of the athletes or to take away from their hard work.”
But it seems as though the apology didn’t feel very sincere to Biles, who has clearly backed her teammates talent and work ethic all the way.
Biles’ husband and Chicago Bears NFL star, Jonathan Owens, was also in support of the girls, and commented: “F AROUND AND FIND OUT.”
But it seems as though Skinner has really taken the joke to heart, after she blocked Biles following the post.
Simone Biles’ teammate taking a photo of Biles’ phone showing her seemingly blocked by Skinner on Instagram. (Instagram/@jordanchiles)
Posting a photo of Biles phone on Skinners account, teammate Jordan Chiles wrote: “When she blocks Simone.”
And Instagram isn’t the only platform she has ridded Biles of.
On X (formerly Twitter), Biles posted: “Oops I’ve been blocked” with side eye and laughing emojis.
But the relationship breakdown is a sad reality for the pair, after they competed together at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games when Skinner won silver for Team USA on the vault.
