Simone Biles added to her GOAT status Tuesday at the Tokyo Olympics when she returned to competition after dealing with the “twisties” to win the bronze medal on the balance beam.
The 24-year-old superstar gymnast is now a seven-time Olympic medalist with back-to-back bronze medals on beam, along with a silver medal from the team competition last week and four gold medals from the 2016 Rio Olympics.
But Biles had to withdraw from the team competition, the all-around competition and the other three individual finals because she was struggling with the “twisties” — a dangerous condition where gymnasts lose their sense of awareness in the air. She did what was best for her to protect her physical and mental health, but she was ultimately cleared to return for the beam final.
Biles dazzled, and here’s a look at the performance that earned her a bronze medal — what she said “means more than all the golds.”
Biles beams again! ✨@Simone_Biles returns and takes home the BRONZE in the women's balance beam final! #TokyoOlympics x @TeamUSA
📺: NBC
💻: https://t.co/xHOJq5UwlD
📱: NBC Sports App pic.twitter.com/dJ3DrRwtU3— #TokyoOlympics (@NBCOlympics) August 4, 2021
“I wasn’t expecting to walk away with a medal,” Biles said. “I was just going out there doing this for me.”
She added, “To have one more opportunity to be at the Olympics meant the world to me.”
And her teammate, Jordan Chiles, was loving the moment too.
SAME. pic.twitter.com/12WnbhROMO
— #TokyoOlympics (@NBCOlympics) August 4, 2021
With her latest bronze medal, Biles is now tied with Shannon Miller for the most medals won by a U.S. gymnast. She finished behind Chinese gymnasts Guan Chenchen and Tang Xijing, respectively, and all-around champion Suni Lee finished fifth.
Whether this was Biles’ last Olympic appearance remains to be seen, as she told USA TODAY Sports that she’s “still trying to process this Olympics.”
