It's been an incredible Olympics for women's gymnastics, full of new records, nail-biting finishes and last-minute podium switches that made for one of the most memorable weeks in the sport's history.
The past week of competition may be remembered for the monumental comeback by Simone Biles and stellar effort of her teammates to return to gold after the Tokyo Games.
But it will also be remembered for some stellar comradery shared among the athletes. All week long, athletes from competing countries shared high fives and hugs, and cheered one another on through successful routines and felt the pain watching a competitor miss a mark.
That support may have been best displayed on the final day of competition. The women's gymnastics events came to a close on Monday with a double-header: individual finals in balance beam and floor exercise.
First up was the balance beam final that saw at least half of the athletes fall, including Biles and teammate Suni Lee who missed out on the podium. The event final was the only one throughout these Games where Team USA did not earn a medal.
After an anxiety-ridden start, the gym turned over to the floor exercise with Biles and Jordan Chiles would face off with Rebeca Andrade of Brazil. A shocking score inquiry moved Chiles onto the podium, where all three picked up one more medal before wrapping up their time in Paris.
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Biles and Andrade, who won gold and silver in the all-around, respectively, came to Paris heavily favored to dominate much of the competition. But in the moments between events, cameras captured the two sharing smiles and meeting each other for hugs. Beyond their own teammates, you'd be hard-pressed to find bigger supporters of the other.
"I have so much respect for [Rebeca]. She's such a good competitor. She always keeps me on my toes, so it's always an honor every time I get to go compete with her," Simone said after the floor exercise final.
That support was put to the test in Biles' silver medal finish on floor. The step onto the podium Tuesday marked the first time in Paris that Biles looked up to a competitor. In her three other podium finishes, she had earned a gold to add to her already impressive count.
The three floor medalists posed for two photos that may just go down in gymnastics history. Standing on each side of Andrade, Biles and Chiles reached out and grabbed her hands in an emphatic display of their support. Then, in a photo that nearly matches its emotional impact, the Americans bowed.
“It was just the right thing to do,” Biles said. "She’s queen.”
