Simone Biles issues response to Sunisa Lee after suffering big fall at Paris Olympics
Olympic champion Simone Biles was there for her teammate Sunisa Lee after the American suffered a major fall in the women's balance beam final at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Lee, who is one of the best gymnasts in the world, took to the balance beam this morning (5 August) as she looked to secure yet another gold medal in the Paris Games.
But her stunning routine fell apart after she lost her footing.
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Tragically for Lee and her supporters, the 21-year-old fell to the mat below where she stood still for a few seconds, absolutely devastated, before returning to finish off her routine.
The crowd gave her a rapturous applause as they got behind the athlete following her error, which took her out of contention for a medal.
Returning to the USA benches, one of the first to say something to Lee was her teammate and friend, Simone Biles.
Biles, who is competing for gold today in the floor finals and suffered a fall herself on the balance beam, was there to embrace her teammate.
Giving her a big hug and with a beaming smile across her face, Biles could be heard saying: "That was still so good."
After sitting down back on the team benches, Lee could be heard telling Biles 'I'm good'.
And that's because despite the fall, Lee has had a successful 2024 Games.
She won gold in the women's artistic team all-around event and bronze in the women's all-around and uneven bars.
In the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, Lee won gold in the all-around event.
She also won gold in the 2019 World Championships in Stuttgart for the women's artistic team all-around event.
It isn't the first time Biles has had Lee's back during the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Biles has been there to back her teammate after former Olympic silver medallist MyKayla Skinner questioned the talent and worth ethic of the USA Gymnastics' Olympic team.
In a now-deleted video, Skinner said 'besides Simone, I feel like the talent and the depth just isn't like what it used to be'.
"The girls just don't have the work ethic," she added.
Skinner quickly retracted the comments, posting an apology which read: "I want to formally apologise to Team USA and to our gymnastic community for my comments during my recent YouTube episodes of the gymnastics Olympic trials.
"It was not my intention to offend or disrespect any of the athletes or to take away from their hard work."
After winning gold in the team event with Lee, Biles posted an image of the five winning athletes and coyly writing: "Lack of talent, lazy, Olympic champions."
Biles' husband and Chicago Bears NFL star, Jonathan Owens, commented: "F AROUND AND FIND OUT."
Tom Earnshaw