Alice D’Amato cried tears of happiness after an unexpected win. The 21-year-old gymnast from Italy became the gold medal winner at the 2024 Paris Olympics individual balance beam final August 5 after American athletes Suni Lee and Simone Biles took uncharacteristic falls during their routines. Suni performed first for the American delegation, during which she fell in the middle of her acrobatic series.
The 21-year-old earned a 13.1—a score which was likely to keep her out of medal contention—and could be seen getting a hug from Simone following her performance. In fact, despite looking frustrated after finishing her routine, Suni—who wasn’t even sure she’d be able to compete at this year’s Games due to her health battle —was soon smiling and laughing after speaking with her coach Jess Graba and Simone.
But while Suni was the first gymnast to fall during her final, she was not the last. Sabrina Voinea of Romania fell twice during her beam routine, followed by a fall from Simone. At the end of the 27-year-old’s acrobatic series, she appeared to suffer a slip that carried her off the beam.
Though she got back on and finished her routine, with falls resulting in a 0.5-point deduction, Simone could be seen shaking her head as she awaited her score. She ultimately received a 13.
1 for her performance. Simone was the second-to-last athlete to perform, with Rebeca Andrade mounting the beam last. And while the powerhouse from the Brazilian delegation performed an impr.