Any gymnast can experience it: Air awareness, the ability to see where they are while upside down or spinningfritzes out at exactly the right moment. Even the most talented gymnast can experience it, at the largest meet of her career. Simone Biles made an error in her signature event at the Tokyo Olympics women's gymnastics team final. She lost her spot midair in what was supposed be a 2.5-twisting Amanara vault that she had been murdering in her sleep for nearly a decade. Instead, she finished with 1.5 twists. This is almost twice her usual brilliance.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementBefore the gymnastics world could even begin to process what they had just seen, she had scratched the competition's surface. The silver-silver-favored U.S. finished the day in silver.AdvertisementScratching is a gymnastics term that refers to an athlete who declines to compete on an apparatus for which a schedule has been made. It is usually due to injury. In Biles' case, she decided to avoid injury because her head was not there. She explained that she wanted to be able to walk out of this place, and not be taken out on a stretcher. I don't trust myself as much as before. I didn't want to continue after the performance.Subscribe to the Slate Culture newsletter and receive the best movies, TV, books, music and more delivered straight to your inbox. Signing you up was not possible due to an error Please try again. To use this form, please enable jаvascript. Email address: I would like to receive updates on Slate special offers. You agree to our Privacy Policy & Terms by signing up. Thank you for signing up! You can cancel your subscription at any time.It can be very frustrating to feel the weight of the entire world and feel that there is no way out for all the training we do. She said that although we were fully prepared, it was difficult to fight with our own heads. You want to do it yourself but you worry about what everyone else will say. For the past few days, I had to avoid it.AdvertisementAdvertisementBiles doesn't owe us any explanations or gymnastics. We all want to know the details, but what she did is not what matters. It is important to note that an adult grown athlete made the right decision: she decided to quit a competition that had put a lot of pressure on her shoulders.The meet continued, despite her dramatic departure. Biles is supported by three other teammates, which seemed like a forgotten fact in the world. These three teammates put on a great performance under unusual and unexpected circumstances. Suni Lee performed a stunning bar routine, Grace McCallum hit the floor, Jordan Chiles was solid on beam, after having fallen twice in qualification. Although their mythical gold may have been incorrectly predicted and some might even suggest toxically, the gleaming, resplendent silver now on the necks these four young women is a gift from God.AdvertisementThe Biles-less U.S. couldn't overcome a 3.4 point deficit to the Russian Olympic Committee, who, thanks to mostly brilliant performances, was able to pull off the shocker in Tokyo and take home gold for their country (technically banned). It was a second here, when two ROC-ers ate mats on the beam. Biles and company embraced, smiled, hugged, and offered sincere congratulations to Angelina Melnikova and Vladislava Uranova for their amazing win.AdvertisementNo one meet, regardless of its status, can do more than nick the almost indefinable legacy of an athlete that has given her sport many orders-of-magnitude more than it deserves.It is possible to learn so much about gymnastics, American-ness, and perception of greatness from this article that it has nothing to do the Biles withdrawal. This silver signifies what the U.S. will look like without her (though three years is a long time); the incredible performance of the U.S. team (yes, with caveats); and last but not least, how upside down the U.S. priorities are still (WIN! WIN! WIN! ), even after the Larry Nassar horrors and subsequent destruction of the enabling structure Bela Karolyi and Marta Karolyi supervised.AdvertisementYou might be tempted by this loss to prove that the Karolyis totalitarian reigns of terror worked. But, I'll be equally tempted tell you that one doesn't know what they are talking about. Marta Karolyi wouldn't have been able abuse gymnasts to get disoriented in midair. Her incessant psych outs would only make it worse. Simone Biles would be less under pressure if she had a culture that encourages obedience and complicity, and where all bodily autonomy is surrendered.Many gym-goers have also questioned Tom Forsters decision not to include MyKayla in the four-person team. However, with four of the best athletes in the world, the Olympic final in a pandemic is still a competitive event full of nerves, pressure, stress, and unknowns. Anything can happen, even shit. Four human beings did something that we all have done: they had an off-day at work. There wasn't one factor or cluster of factors that could have prevented this.AdvertisementAdvertisementThis team won a silver medal at the Olympic Games despite being in the worst possible scenario. It is an achievement that most mortals can only dream of. Although the American program's Biles-less future may bring many more silvers or even gold (OK, that last one seems unlikely), the results of Tuesday should remind us that the Karolyi system's dark, miserable and hidden world should never be seen again. Her teammates and she supported her with enough lana and amazing skill to win silver. This was the biggest starthe sport ever. These are great things for anyone who cares about American gymnasts' health and humanity. Without the Karolyis team support, this choice would have been impossible.AdvertisementFurthermore, no one should abide considering this result as the U.S. falling short, or even saying that whats important is that the U.S. lost. Such a perception of the American finish is exactly the kind of jingoistic, second-place-is-first-loser bullshit that fostered an atmosphere of abuse in the prior eraand its the attitude that survived into this one, to such an extent that it created the brash expectation of inevitable gold for this team in the first place.AdvertisementAdvertisementAlthough technically the U.S. lost because it was second to its competitor, it is more accurate to say the ROC won. Their routines were outstanding and they won. Listunova, 16 years old, is a remarkable performer whose execution, difficulty, and resilience under pressure are extraordinary. Melnikova, a veteran whose grace and skill level are unmatched, is a loved favorite. These gymnasts won because they were the best Tuesday. American fans of gymnastics should emulate their example and be open to the possibility of recognizing the Russians' brilliance. The return to dominance in this region, which was unmatched in the 20th Century, suggests a balance in our universe that is hard to describe for those of us older.AdvertisementIt is something I know that makes me happy. A little girl watches a young woman win gold in Team USA (U.S.-A!) U-S.-A! It is a dangerous narrative to get inspired to try gymnastics. It is a fixation on the idea that greatness inspires, that gold is the color of greatness and that failure is the opposite. Instead, I would like America's gymnastics program teach children to appreciate great performances regardless of their medal and to be impressed when an athlete puts her health first over a stupid effing medal. It is so much better for children to be inspired by the athleticism, nerves and sportsmanship of athletes around the world.AdvertisementAdvertisementMost importantly, I know that no one meet, regardless of its status, can do more than nick the almost indefinable legacy of an Olympic gymnast who has given her sport many orders and magnitudes more than she deserves, for many more decades than anyone could have imagined. Not to mention the ity-bitsy fact there are still five finals for women's gymnastics at this Olympics, and that said athlete has qualified for all five. It is possible that she will still opt to leave those out. It is possible, however, that Simone Biles has not yet been seen in Tokyo.As I try to understand what happened at the Ariake Gymnastics Centre, in the early hours of the American morning, I feel both hurt and proud for Biles and her team. And, I also take comfort in the fact that every gymnast in that arena did her best in the circumstances. Suni Lee did the most difficult routine in the world. Grace McCallum thrived in pressure. Jordan Chiles returned back to the balance beam that had destroyed her and destroyed it right away. And Simone Biles prioritizeddeservedlyher humanity, which is the quality that her rapturous fans often deny her the most. The U.S. women did what they could, and it was great. The color of greatness was silver this time.
