As the rest of the Olympics progressed, it was unclear whether Biles would be able to compete again, but on Monday USA Gymnastics announced she would return to the Olympic stage on the balance beam on Tuesday – the final women’s gymnastics event of the Games.
Biles dismounted safely as her teammates cheered her on. She scored 14,000, earning Biles her seventh Olympic medal. This ties her with Shannon Miller for the most Olympic medals in US gymnastics history.
“I was proud of myself just to go out there after what I’ve been through,” Biles said after.
Biles also won bronze at the balance beam during the Rio Olympics in 2016 – alongside four gold medals during those Games.
This year’s bronze was “definitely sweeter,” Biles said. “I’ll treasure this one a lot more after everything I’ve been through,” she said.
“It means more than all of the golds because I’ve pushed through so much the last five years and the last week while I’ve even been here,” Biles said to the Today Show.
China’s Guan Chenchen and Tang Xijing won gold and silver, respectively.