Neither Suni Lee nor Simone Biles made the podium in the individual balance beam competition at the Olympics on Monday. It was a major disappointment for both American gymnastics stars.
According to Lee, the bronze medalist in all-around and uneven bars, a lame crowd in Paris played a major role in the most recent struggles.
Both of the United States’ representatives fell on the beam.
As did Brazil’s Julia Soares and Sabrina Maneca-Voinea of Romania. All of them were considered to be in the medal competition on some level and the tumbles were uncharacteristic.
One fall, even two falls, during the balance beam rotation is not abnormal. Four falls at the Olympics is a concerning trend.
Gymnastics meets are usually pretty loud during the team competition and all-around competition. There is typically an underlying murmur throughout the entire period, which essentially serves as white noise. The athletes drown it out.
Individual events, outside of the floor exercise, are a little bit different because there is not any music playing in the background and there is less going on. Less to cheer for.
Nevertheless, the arena usually carries with it a small buzz. People in the crowd talk amongst themselves. Others cheer for their favorite athletes.
Not on Monday…
Simone Biles and Suni Lee were confused by the gymnastics atmosphere at the Olympics!
Lee said Bercy Arena was unusually quiet and that it was impossible not to notice the abnormal level of volume during the beam final. Fans were actively trying to keep the sound to a minimum.
We were just talking about how annoying it was to be shushed.
— Suni Lee
Biles threw her hands in the air as she took to the beam. She told the crowd to stop shushing and questioned the behavior.
Why are they all shushing? As soon as I’m going they’re like shushing so much.
— Simone Biles
Although the two athletes did not attribute direct blame for their shortcomings to the lack of noise, it was implied. Suni Lee and Simone Biles admitted that the silence added to the stress, and the stress boiled over in unfortunate fashion with their falls.
The pressure was definitely on. I don’t know if you could tell, but a lot of people were definitely feeling it. I think it was the crowd, but also just knowing that we’re so close to being done and just adding that extra stress of wanting to end it off the right way.
— Suni Lee
It was so hushed during the beam final that Lee wondered if the photographers could hear her breathing. That would not normally be the case. Volume levels are never that low and it made a difference.
It adds to the stress, just because it’s like you, yes, you’re the only one up there. So I was feeling the pressure.
— Suni Lee
Regardless of the reason for the subdued crowd, both United states stars were hindered by the silence. They felt the pressure even more than they usually do and it threw them off of their game.