Alice D'Amato wins gold in women's balance beam, US fails to medal

Italy's Alice D'Amato celebrating her balance beam routine at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. 

The women’s balance beam final was brutal for everyone but Italy’s Alice D’Amato at the Paris 2024 Olympics. The Italian had the best routine of the day, earning the gold medal at Bercy Arena on Monday night. China’s Yaquin Zhou held her place for the silver, and Manila Esposito joined her teammate on the podium with bronze. It marked the first time since 2000 that the United States failed to medal in a gymnastics event. 

Biles attempted to be the first gymnast in Olympic history to win a medal in an apparatus final three times. Her two bronze medals from Rio and Tokyo were tough to attain in an unforgivable event final. China only had one gymnast in play, hoping to get her in place to be at the top. 

Zhou was first to go up, miscalculating a skill that cost her a five-tenth deduction. The judges score her at 14.100, putting her in a decent position, despite the mistake. Lee had a much bigger one during her routine, falling off the beam during a flip combination. She got back up to finish the last elements, before sticking the landing to end it. 13.100 was what Lee earned, leaving her way out of medal contention. 

The first four competitors didn’t have clean routines including Manila Esposito, who didn’t fall, but had a minor balance check. Her teammate was the first gymnast to nail every part of her routine, giving D’Amato a medal victory with 14.366. Biles was second to last and was another victim to the beam. She moved fast during a run, taking a fall from the apparatus. The judges gave her 13.100, leaving Andrade to decide her fate. 

The Brazilian had a balance check, but nothing serious to guarantee herself a place on the podium. Despite having a clean routine, the judges scored her 13.933, shocking most of the crowd and D’Amato, becoming Italy’s first of two individual medalling in the sport.