News USA: In the 2024 Olympics, Team USA gymnasts Suni Lee and Simone Biles experienced an unexpected setback during the balance beam final on August 5th. Both athletes, known for their impressive skills and resilience, fell off the balance beam, and Lee has shed light on the surprising reason behind the mishaps.
Lee, who has already secured two bronze medals and one gold medal at this year’s Games, attributed the falls to the unusual silence in the arena. In a candid post-event interview, she explained, “It was really silent when you get up there. I don’t like that just because it gives me too much time to think, and I can hear everything.” Lee admitted that she thrives on the energy of the crowd and finds the silence disorienting. “I literally could hear myself breathing, and it stressed me out knowing that everyone else could hear it too.”
Simone Biles, who is no stranger to the pressures of Olympic competition, echoed Lee’s sentiments. The 27-year-old gymnast noted, “The balance beam final is always the most stressful, but usually, there’s music or background noise. It was really weird and awkward without it.” Biles and her teammates had requested music or noise to help them focus, but their requests went unmet. She added, “We usually do better with some background noise because it feels more like practice.”
Despite the challenges they faced, gymnasts from Italy and China excelled in the event, earning medals. Lee and Biles are maintaining their sense of humor about the situation, with Lee even participating in the “sad to announce I didn’t make the Olympics cut” TikTok trend. On August 6th, she shared a light-hearted video of her balance beam fall, captioned, “Unfortunately, I was selected for the Olympics.”
The quiet arena at the 2024 Olympics turned out to be an unexpected hurdle for Lee and Biles, highlighting how crucial the right environment can be for athletes. As the competition continues, both gymnasts are focusing on their remaining events and their remarkable achievements so far.