PARIS, France — Simone Biles and Suni Lee did not earn a spot on the podium in the balance beam finals on Monday after an unforgiving balance beam tested several competitors.
Biles came up short of an 11th overall Olympic medal. She had previously won bronze in the event during the 2016 and 2020 Summer Games.
The beam prompted several falls and stumbles, including from Biles and Lee.
Wearing a blue-and-white leotard featuring over 5,000 crystals, Biles was more than halfway through her set when she couldn't quite keep her balance. She hopped off the beam and onto the mat while thousands inside a packed Bercy Arena let out an audible “ohhh.”
Biles received a score of 13.100, tied with U.S. teammate Sunisa Lee for fourth.
Alice D'Amato of Italy took the gold with a score of 14.366. Zhou Yaqin of China earned silver with a 14.100, just ahead of bronze medalist Manila Esposito of Italy.
While Lee's Olympics are over, Biles will wrap up her final day of competition in the floor exercise final, an event where she's never lost a major international competition, including a gold in Rio do Janeiro eight years ago.
“We were both just kind of annoyed just because we know what we’re capable of,” Lee said. “We weren’t able to get it done today, but she still has floor and she’s the G.O.A.T., so she’ll be amazing.”
The 27-year-old athlete will be challenged by Brazil’s Rebeca Andrade and U.S. teammate Jordan Chiles in that event.
Biles has stayed relatively quiet on what lies ahead for her beyond the Paris Games, though she did nudge the door open a little for a possible return when the Olympics shift to Los Angeles.
“Never say never,” Biles said after claiming her second Olympic vault title on Saturday. “Next Olympics are at home. So you just never know. I am getting really old.”