Simone Biles promised a “redemption tour” for Team USA at the Paris Olympics, and on Tuesday, she and her four teammates delivered, winning their first gold medal of the games at the women’s gymnastics finals. In an emotional victory, the team — most of whom were in Tokyo with Biles in 2021 when she withdrew during this round — leaped around Bercy Arena with an American flag after finally reclaiming their gold.
Your honor I love them pic.twitter.com/H73ZKSWy71
— SUNI LEE 2X OLYMPIC CHAMPION (@jordynsleftbrow) July 30, 2024
The day saw strong showings from Suni Lee and Jordan Chiles, while Jade Carey, who admitted earlier in the week that she hasn’t been feeling well in Paris, struggled in a few of her events. (Hezly Rivera, the only first-time Olympian on the team, did not compete on Tuesday.) Lee’s characteristic grace was on full display during her beam routine, which earned her a score of 14.600, and in her specialty event, the uneven bars, where she played it safer, likely due to a scary mid-practice fall.
Suni Lee does rockstar shit, some dude yells WAR EAGLE, she fist pumps. This rules. I love the Olympics. pic.twitter.com/ckl4RbLdlH
— dev (@minnebama) July 30, 2024
Suni Lee with an impeccable landing ????????????????
— Complex (@Complex) July 30, 2024
pic.twitter.com/JYKIo5O0R3
Suni Lee on floor exercise
— chpa (@4chpa) July 30, 2024
????#Olympics pic.twitter.com/CkB9UtOUXW
Chiles also helped solidify the team’s win: After falling off the beam, she held it together to stick a double-pike dismount and came back soaring for a Beyoncé-soundtracked floor routine that had even the gymnast herself getting emotional at the end. While two of Lee’s sisters cheered her on in the stands, Chiles’s parents were with her for every stumble and point score, with her dad beating his chest as she stuck her vault landing. Lee could also be heard shouting “That was fire!” after Chiles’s floor routine.
Jordan Chiles on floor for Team USA Let’s Go! pic.twitter.com/AWX9TZuAOU
— Sapphire ???????? (@Sapphire604) July 30, 2024
Hang it in the Louvre.
— Jennifer Iacopelli (sometimes Hennessy) (@jennifercarolyn) July 30, 2024
Suni Lee is art. pic.twitter.com/02yZblbSvj
Meanwhile, Biles put concerns about her calf injury to rest. She played it safe on the vault before closing out the night with her floor routine. As she exited the floor to a standing ovation, the crowd chanted “USA! USA!” It didn’t take long for her score to come in, totaling the team’s points at 171.296 and clinching the gold medal — while making Biles the most decorated American gymnast in Olympics history.
Aly Raisman asks Simone Biles and the team what their nickname is.
— Kendall Baker (@kendallbaker) July 30, 2024
"F.A.A.F.O."
F**k around and find out pic.twitter.com/RJjZ5OWcQg
THIS TUMBLING PASS❤️
— Holly Rowe (@sportsiren) July 30, 2024
@Simone_Biles pic.twitter.com/xSYai6FSt4
WOW. SIMONE BILES JUST DID THAT. ???? #ParisOlympics
— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) July 30, 2024
???? NBC and Peacock pic.twitter.com/l4pLcI1QGg
This photo of Simone Biles is iconic ???? pic.twitter.com/00LMDHdIxu
— DraftKings (@DraftKings) July 30, 2024
me: I can’t stand this country
— ???? (@luvsicksapphic) July 30, 2024
also me watching simone biles, suni lee, jordan chiles, hezly rivera, and jade carey win a gold medal for team usa pic.twitter.com/TQQe033sZ5
But Biles and Lee had other priorities on their minds — NBC’s mics managed to catch them meticulously planning which TikToks they were going to film with their gold medals. The grind never stops.
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