To end the Olympics she once thought would never happen for her, Simone Biles began her floor exercise routine on Monday and did what she was made to do: flip and twist and thrill an arena filled with people there to watch her.
Every time Biles, the most decorated gymnast in history, landed one of her wildly difficult tumbling passes, the crowd seemed to shout, “Wow!” all at once.
And when she was done, standing alone on the floor in her sparkly leotard, the spectators rose to honor her — perhaps as much for her entire career as for a brilliant but flawed floor routine.
Biles stepped out of bounds twice during the routine, which was by far the most difficult that any of the finalists attempted.
When Chiles’s bronze medal was announced, she cried — and Biles smiled and laughed while hugging her.
Persons:
Simone Biles, leotard, Biles, Rebeca Andrade, Jordan Chiles, —
Locations:
Brazil