Simone Biles would like everyone to chill out about her winning “only” a bronze medal
She’s a 19-year-old with four Olympic medals, she’s doing just fine.
Heading into the 2016 Olympics, one of the biggest storylines for Team USA was the prospective dominance of 19-year-old gymnast Simone Biles. Analysts have called her potentially the greatest gymnast ever, and said that she had a good chance to become the first female gymnast to win five gold medals in a single Olympics. When Biles briefly faltered on the balance beam Monday, that dream disappeared, leaving her with the bronze medal.
Even with a costly miss, @Simone_Biles earned a #bronze medal in the beam exercise! More: https://t.co/GC8JvF1EcN https://t.co/bN252kpT73
— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) August 16, 2016
But she seems to be taking her near-miss just fine.
“I’m not disappointed in the medal that I received because anyone would love to have a bronze at an Olympics Games,” Biles told the AP. “But I’m disappointed in the routine that I did and not so much the whole entire routine, just the front tuck I guess. Because the rest of the routine was pretty good.”
Biles echoed those sentiments on Twitter.
1st olympics – 4th olympic medal (3 gold & 1 bronze) yall aight out there ? bc I’m more than happy! Floor finals tomorrow, so excited
— Simone Biles (@Simone_Biles) August 15, 2016
If Biles takes gold in the women’s floor exercise final Tuesday, it will be a record-tying—instead of record-breaking—feat. For Biles, that’s more than OK.
“I think you guys want it more than I do,” Biles told the AP when asked about the record. “I just want to perform the routines that I practice.”
Bronze medalist Simone Biles, gold medalist Sanne Wevers, and silver medalist Laurie Hernandez.
To comment, please create a screen name in your profile
To comment, please verify your email address
Conversation
This discussion has ended. Please join elsewhere on Boston.com