U.S. gymnast Simone Biles won the bronze medal on Tuesday after returning to the Olympic competition on the balance beam. She had withdrawn from other gymnastic events over the last week.
Biles won with a score of 14.000. China’s Guan Chenchen scored 14.633 to win gold, and her teammate Tang Xijing won silver with a score of 14.233. Canada’s Ellie Black came in fourth place, with a score of 13.866.
Biles withdrew from the Olympic team competition last week after performing the vault. The 24-year-old said she wanted to protect her mental health.
She also talked about experiencing “the twisties”, which gymnasts describe as a kind of mental block. “I have to do what’s right for me and focus on my mental health, and not jeopardize my health and well-being,” she said.
Biles won four gold medals and one bronze at the Rio Olympics. She also has a silver from the team competition in Tokyo. This is her seventh Olympic medal in total, making her the joint-most decorated American gymnast in history alongside Shannon Miller.
