Suni Lee and Simone Biles didn’t have the greatest of performances in the balance beam final at the Paris Olympics on Monday and the tense atmosphere received the brunt of the blame.
Lee and Biles were among the handful of competitors who slipped on the beam during their routines. The miscalculations cost both American superstars spots on the podium.
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Suni Lee bobbles and falls during the women’s artistic gymnastics individual balance beam finals at Bercy Arena at the Summer Olympics, Monday, Aug. 5, 2024, in Paris. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
But Lee, who won a bronze on the uneven bars earlier in the Games, pointed out the quiet and pressure-packed atmosphere.
“We were just talking about how annoying it was to be shushed,” Lee said as she noted how the atmosphere changed with the crowd quieting down to focus their attention on the gymnasts.
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Suni Lee falls at Bercy Arena at the Summer Olympics, Monday, Aug. 5, 2024, in Paris. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)
“The pressure was definitely on,” Lee added. “I don’t know if you could tell, but a lot of people were definitely feeling it. I think it was the crowd but also just knowing that we’re so close to being done and just adding that extra stress of wanting to end it off the right way.”
Lee said the lack of sound added to the pressure.
“It adds to the stress, just because it’s like you, yes, you’re the only one up there,” Lee said. “So I was feeling the pressure.”
Suni Lee falls during the balance beam final at the Paris Olympic Games on Aug. 5, 2024. (Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
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It was the first time the Americans were left off the podium in the balance beam since 2000.
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