Simone Biles hits out at Olympic crowd after major mistake costs her a medal
Topics: Simone Biles, Olympics, Sport
Callum Jones
Featured Image Credit: Jari Pestelacci/Eurasia Sport Images/Getty Images/BBC
Topics: Simone Biles, Olympics, Sport
To the surprise of many, Simone Biles missed out on a medal at the Olympics earlier today (August 5).
Biles has quite simply bossed it so far in Paris after bagging gold medals in the vault, all-around and team gymnastics events.
She has just earned a silver medal in the floor final, losing out to Brazil's Rebeca Andrade.
It takes the 27-year-old's Olympic total up to seven gold medals, two silver and two bronze, making her the most decorated gymnast of all-time.
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However, during the balance beam final today, Biles was unable to add to her impressive tally as she came in fifth place.
The US gymnast fell off the 10cm-wide beam during her performance, ruining her chances of bagging another medal.
However, Biles managed to regain her composure following the mishap and still earned an impressive score of 13.100.
Italy's Alice D'Amato went on to bag the gold medal, China's Zhou Yaqin took home the silver while Manila Esposito, from Italy, got bronze.
Olympic commentators did seem to blame ‘something in the arena’ for Biles' mishap.
And the Team USA star appeared far from impressed with the crowd after she finishing her routine.
It's been reported that Biles accused the spectators of making nosies while she was on the beam.
The cameras caught the gymnast throwing her hands in the air as she retuned to her camp and even appeared to tell them to ‘stop shushing’.
Craig Heap, the BBC commentator, was evidentially surprised by the reaction, saying he’s ‘never seen Simone Biles look so angry’.
“She was not happy. Something has gone on in the arena,” he added.
“Simone is not happy at all. It just goes to show she is a human being. All the other ladies in that final have made mistakes. She’s not invincible."
Fellow BBC commentator Matt Baker clarified the situation, adding: "She’s talking about the atmosphere. She’s talking about shushing.
“The feeling in here is like a cauldron when the gymnasts are on. Oh my word.”
On TikTok, Biles has explained why she eats alone and not with other athletes in the Olympic Village.
In the video, she said: “I have not done much around the Olympic village. It is because the first day we got here I got to the cafeteria and a lot of people were asking me for photos, non stop.
“Whenever I got sat down to eat my anxiety was so bad I was shaking and I couldn’t stop shaking. I was so overwhelmed.
“So for a little while I went to the cafeteria to meet my friend yesterday but before that I haven’t gone back to the cafeteria in five days.
“I just go to the store, stock up on food and just stay here, because it gets me so anxious.”