Simone Biles, Suni Lee Had A Curious Explanation For Balance Beam Mishaps

Despite impressive showings from both Simone Biles and Suni Lee in the other Olympic events each competed in, both of the U.S. gymnasts would presumably like to wipe their balance beam performances from their minds.

Both Biles and Lee slipped during their beam routines, which ultimately cost them a chance to medal. Biles’ scored a 13.100, good for fifth place, while Lee’s mishap resulted in her falling off the beam and finishing in sixth place with a 13.100 score.

A handful of other competitors seem to have issues with the beam as well, but it wasn’t because there was a problem with the beam itself. Both Biles and Lee attributed the same issue to their slips: the crowd noise, or lack thereof.

“You're trying to stay in your zone, and then people start cheering and then the shushing gets louder, so really, they should be shushed because they're louder,” Biles told USA Today . “It was really weird and awkward. And we've asked several times if we can have some music, or some background noise, so I'm not really sure what happened there. But, yeah, not our favorite. None of us liked it.”

Added Lee: “Even watching the other finals, I was like, ‘It's a little too quiet in here.’ When I was up there, I was like, 'People can probably hear me breathing.’ It adds to the stress, just because yes, you're the only one up there, but it just makes you feel like you're the only one up there. I was feeling the pressure.”

The balance beam was the only event both Biles and Lee competed in that neither didn’t win a medal.

Biles took home gold in the team all-around final, individual all-around final and vault final while earning a silver in the floor exercise. Lee won gold in the team all-around final and bronze in the individual all-around final and uneven bars final.

Related: Controversial Score Change Gives Jordan Chiles First Individual Olympic Medal

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