Simone Biles stumbles on balance beam, settles for bronze
American star was trying for 4th gold
By Pete Evans, CBC Sports
The woman some have already suggested is the greatest female gymnast of all time turned out to be human after all on Monday, stumbling ever so slightly on the balance beam and opening the door for Dutch gymnast Sanne Wevers to take the gold.
- SCHEDULE & RESULTS: Gymnastics at the Olympics
- WATCH: Biles settles for bronze in beam
- WATCH: Dutch gymnast beams with pride after winning gold
Biles appeared to lose her balance halfway through her routine while landing a front somersault.
<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/USA?src=hash">#USA</a> Simone Biles falters in her 1st routine. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Rio2016?src=hash">#Rio2016</a> Watch it LIVE <a href="https://t.co/lo3l4RAnEn">https://t.co/lo3l4RAnEn</a> <a href="https://t.co/rHkgr6gL8g">https://t.co/rHkgr6gL8g</a>
—@CBCOlympicsBiles ended up with bronze as a result of that slight stumble. Silver went to Biles' U.S. teammate Laurie Hernandez.
Biles came into the event with three golds in Rio already — the team event, the individual all around and the vault event.
Biles was trying to become the first female gymnast to win five gold medals at a single Olympic Games. The best she can do now do is four golds and a bronze, and she'll have to win the floor exercise on Tuesday to pull that off — although she has won the floor competition at the last three world championships.
Canadian Onyshko finishes 8th
Canadian champion Isabel Onyshko came into Monday's final with an outside chance at a medal, but fell off the beam partway through.
That hurt her chances, as the judges awarded her 13.40 points as a result. In qualification, Onyschko scored 14.53 points for her routine.
Onyshko finished 8th overall.
Other gymnastics action
Elsewhere in gymnastics on Monday, North Korea's Ri Se-Gwang took home gold in men's vault.
- WATCH REPLAY: Ri Se-Gwang takes home gold for North Korea
The double world champion also became only the second man from communist North Korea to win an Olympic gold medal in gymnastics, following the success of Pae Gil-Su on the pommel horse at the 1992 Barcelona Games.
"This gold medal is a joy for my country and I think it will bring a sense of victory and courage to the people of my country," said Ri, who described it as the greatest moment of his career.
Greek gymnast Eleftherios Petrounias won gold in men's still rings with this near flawless performance.
With files from The Associated Press