Simone Biles Falls Short on Beam in Paris Games

American gymnast Simone Biles missed out on a medal in the balance beam final at the Paris Games after falling off the apparatus. Despite wearing a stunning leotard, Biles, along with teammate Sunisa Lee, finished tied for fourth. Italy's Alice D'Amato claimed gold, with China and Italy securing silver and bronze.

Simone Biles, an American gymnastics star, failed to secure a medal in the balance beam final at the Paris Games. Biles slipped and fell off the beam during her acrobatic series, denying her a chance to add to her previous wins in the 2016 and 2020 Games. Wearing a leotard adorned with over 5,000 crystals, Biles was more than halfway through her routine when she lost her balance and hopped off the beam, eliciting gasps from the packed Bercy Arena audience.

Biles received a score of 13.100, tying with U.S. teammate Sunisa Lee for fourth place. The wait for her score was prolonged, and Biles rolled her eyes in apparent frustration, recognizing she wouldn't be on the medal stand. Italy's Alice D'Amato won gold with a score of 14.366. China's Zhou Yaqin took the silver, and Italy's Manila Esposito earned bronze.

Meanwhile, Sunisa Lee, who finished tied with Biles for fifth, will leave Paris with three medals despite battling chronic kidney-related diseases. Biles remains in the running for a medal in the floor final later Monday, which she has never lost at a major international competition. A medal would tie her with Vera Caslavska for the second-most Olympic medals by a female gymnast. Speaking about her future, Biles hinted at a possible comeback for the Los Angeles Games, stating, "Never say never."

(With inputs from agencies.)