Simone Biles’ run at the Paris Olympics might not have earned her a gold medal, but she is satisfied with the outcome of these Summer Games.
Returning to the gymnastics mat was no small feat for 27-year-old Biles, who overcame both mental and physical hurdles to secure four medals: three golds and a silver in Paris.
Her remarkable display of skill comes just three years after her withdrawal from the Tokyo Olympics due to the “twisties.”
Biles kicked off her competitions in Paris with vigor, clinching gold in the team, women’s all-around, and vault finals.
On her last day of events, she experienced a minor setback, finishing fifth in the balance beam final due to a fall and securing second in the floor exercise.
Nevertheless, Biles holds no remorse over her performance in the French capital.
“I’ve accomplished way more than my wildest dreams, not just at this Olympics, but in this sport,” Biles said at a press conference on Monday, August 5.
“So I can’t be mad at my performances. A couple of years ago, I didn’t think I’d be back here at an Olympic game. So competing and then 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.”
Describing her final competition day as “absolutely wild,” Biles acknowledged the exhaustion from a week of contests yet praised her competitor, Rebeca Andrade of Brazil, who outscored her for the floor exercise gold.
“Obviously, it wasn’t my best performance, but at the end of the day, whoever medaled, medaled, and that’s what’s so exciting because you just never know with gymnastics,” she said.
“I’m not very upset or anything about my performance at the Olympics. I’m actually very happy, proud, and even more excited that it’s over, the stress of it.”
Biles was particularly excited about the floor exercise podium being an all-Black lineup, including herself, Andrade, and Jordan Chiles of Team USA. “That was super exciting for us,” Biles said.
When questioned about whether she felt her self-described “redemption tour” was indeed redemptive, Biles confidently stated she had achieved her objectives, despite missing out on an additional gold medal.
“We did our job, you know what I’m saying? It’s hard, but we did it,” she said.
“It means the world that I could come back out here and compete on an international stage again, representing my country. I couldn’t have asked for a better Olympic Games, a better support system, or better teammates. So yeah, thank you. Thank you, Paris.”
