The balance beam wreaked havoc Monday.
Not only did American Simone Biles fall of the beam during her performance and lose out on a medal, the same fate befell teammate Suni Lee.
Like Biles, Lee’s fell cost her the opportunity to medal as the teammates finished tied for fifth Monday morning with a score of 13.100 in the eight-woman field.
Italy’s Alice D’Amato won the event with a score of 14.366, followed by China Yaqin Zhou and Italy’s Manila Esposito.
In failing to finish in the top three, Lee stands one medal behind Shannon Miller (seven) for the second-most by an American gymnast.
Biles is the all-time Team USA leader with 10 medals.
“I’m so sad about my beam routine,” Lee said on the broadcast afterwards. “But I gave it my all, so that’s OK.”
Lee, 21, entered the event looking for her fourth medal of the 2024 Paris Olympics in what has been a short but distinguished Olympics career.
She had already claimed a gold in team all-around and bronze medals in individual all-around and uneven bars.
This was her last event of the Olympics.
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Lee finished fifth in the balance beam in her first attempt during the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 and perhaps could have challenged for a medal had she not fell inside Bercy Arena.
Right after Lee fell, Biles gave her reeling teammate a big hug.
Lee said the quietness inside the arena during her performance may have actually hurt her.
“I feel like it was the pressure, the atmosphere,” Lee said. was really silent when you get up there. I could literally hear myself breathing.”
Before Monday’s mishap, Lee said Sunday she’s truly enjoyed this Olympics experience.
“I can’t believe that I have six medals,” Lee said Sunday after grabbing a bronze in the uneven bars, according to ESPN. “This Olympics has definitely meant a lot more. I’m really trying to enjoy everything that comes with it.”