A balance beam Olympic gold medal has evaded Simone Biles. Will she finally capture it at the 2024 Paris Olympics?
Biles withdrew from several events at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 after developing ‘the twisties,’ a sensation where a gymnast loses awareness in the air while performing twisting elements. But Biles returned to compete in the balance beam final at the Tokyo Games, with a scaled-back dismount, and earned an Olympic bronze medal, her second in balance beam after finishing with a bronze at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games.
‘I’m pretty happy. I didn’t expect to medal,’ Biles said in 2021 in Tokyo. ‘I was just trying to go out there and hit a good beam set and compete one more time at these Olympic Games.’
Biles returned to international competition last October at the 2023 World Championships in Antwerp, Belgium, and earned a gold medal in balance beam, her fourth World gold medal in that discipline. China’s Zhou Yaqin finished with silver and Brazil’s Rebeca Andrade earned bronze.
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Here’s everything you need to know about the women’s balance beam final:
When is gymnastics balance beam final?
The women’s balance beam final is Monday, Aug. 5, at 6:36 a.m. ET at the Bercy Arena in Paris.
How to watch gymnastics balance beam final
The women’s balance beam final will be broadcast live on NBC, USA Network and E! Network. It can also be streamed on Peacock, NBCOlympics.com, NBC.com and the NBC Sports app.
Who is the reigning women’s Olympic balance beam champion?
China’s Guan Chenchen is the reigning Olympic balance beam champion after winning gold at the Tokyo Games in 2021. Simone Biles finished with an Olympic bronze medal. Here’s how the rest of the podium rounded out:
Gold: China’s Guan Chenchen – 14.633
Silver: China’s Tang Xijing – 14.233
Bronze: USA’s Simone Biles – 14.000
