Simone Biles Returned to the Balance Beam and Won a Bronze Medal

Update 8/3/21:

Simone Biles won a bronze medal in the balance beam final Tuesday, marking a triumphant return to the Tokyo Olympics. The 24-year-old gymnast missed multiple events after pulling out to prioritize her mental health, but came back for the last day of the gymnastics tournament and earned a place on the podium. China's Guan Chenchen and Tang Xijing won the gold and silver medals, respectively.

“I wasn’t expecting to walk away with the medal,” Biles said, per The New York Times. “I was just going out there doing this for me.” She added, “To have one more opportunity to be at the Olympics meant the world to me.”

This is Biles's second medal in the 2020 games, following the silver USA won in the team final. Overall, she has seven Olympic medals, including four gold, the Times reported.

NBC will air the gymnastics events during its prime-time coverage tonight, which begins at 8 p.m. ET. The balance beam final is scheduled for 9:15 p.m. at the time of writing.

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Original story 8/2/21:

Simone Biles is returning to the mat.

The Olympic gymnast will compete again at the Tokyo Olympics this week following her recent decision to opt out of multiple gymnastic events to prioritize her mental well-being. She'll compete for a balance beam medal on Tuesday, August 3, at 4:50 a.m. ET. (Fans can watch live online at NBCOlympics.com and the NBC Sports app or during NBC's prime-time coverage later in the day.)

USA Gymnastics announced on social media that Biles would participate in the fifth and final individual medal event for gymnastics, writing, "We are so excited to confirm that you will see two U.S. athletes in the balance beam final tomorrow - Suni Lee AND Simone Biles!! Can’t wait to watch you both!"

Biles expressed her gratitude to her fans and peers who supported her decision to withdraw from multiple Olympic events last week, including individual competitions such as the all-around, vault, bars, and floor events.

"The outpouring love & support I've received has made me realize I'm more than my accomplishments and gymnastics which I never truly believed before," Biles tweeted at the time.

The gymnast also took to Instagram to share photos with her teammates and wrote, "Forever thankful to have such an amazing support system by my side."

USA Gymnastics also rallied behind Biles in her decision to put her mental health above all while participating in the Tokyo Olympics.

"After further medical evaluation, Simone Biles has withdrawn from the final individual all-around competition at the Tokyo Olympic Games, in order to focus on her mental health," a statement read at the time. "We wholeheartedly support Simone's decision and applaud her bravery in prioritizing her well-being. Her courage shows, yet again, why she is a role model for so many."

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