PARIS (news agencies) — The “Redemption Tour” did not end with a golden encore for Simone Biles.
By the time she entered Bercy Arena for the beam and floor exercise finals on Monday, she was drained. Mentally. Physically. All of it.
It’s what this event does. What this sport does.
No one knows that better than the 27-year-old who has spent the last decade relentlessly propelling gymnastics — both competitively and culturally — forward.
So when Biles hopped off balance beam to miss out on one medal, then stepped out of bounds twice during her floor routine to finish second in her signature event for the first time in memory, she shrugged.
Gymnastics happens. Even to the greats. Even to the GOAT.
The woman who didn’t think she’d even be here a couple of years ago will leave Paris — and perhaps her final Olympics — with three golds and a silver and something perhaps even more valuable: peace.
“I accomplished way more than my wildest dreams, not just at this Olympics, but in the sport,” the 11-time Olympic medalist said. “So I can’t be mad at the performances. … Competing then walking away with four medals. I’m not mad about it.”
Biles certainly didn’t look mad during the awards ceremony after the floor exercise — the first one of her career at a major competition that ended with her looking up at someone else.
Instead, she and good friend and bronze medalist Jordan Chiles bowed to Rebeca Andrade, the Brazilian who has spent the last three years as the best gymnast in the world not named Biles.
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