The star gymnast spoke to reporters after the competition, which was full of falls and uncharacteristic misses from multiple competitors.

The balance beam final for women’s gymnastics at the 2024 Olympics saw more falls and wobbles than usual. Still, the gymnasts who competed in the event said they noticed something unusual during the competition.

The atmosphere was subdued.

The unusually quiet arena may have contributed to Monday’s shaky balance beam final for Simone Biles, Sunisa Lee, and a few other event finalists.

Biles, Lee, Brazil’s Julia Soares, and Romania’s Sabrina Maneca-Voinea all fell during their routines inside Bercy Arena. No music was playing, and some fans were even hushing others for making noise while the athletes were up there competing. Italy’s Alice D’Amato had a much smoother time of it, coming away with the gold.

“It was strange and awkward,” said Biles, who finished fifth behind Lee. “We’ve asked several times if we can have music or background noise. It wasn’t our best performance. “None of us were happy about it.”

“It was too quiet.” “I could hear myself breathing,” Lee told reporters after the event.

International Gymnastics Federation senior communications manager Meike Behrensen emailed The Associated Press to say that the decision was “part of the sports presentation plan at Paris 2024.”

There’s usually a lot of background noise at meets, which the athletes like because it’s similar to the noise at their home gyms.

There was music during qualifying, team finals, and all-around finals for both the men and women at the Paris Games.

The atmosphere shifted when the music was turned off during the individual event finals.

The silence was particularly noticeable on the beam, which is just four inches wide and four feet off the ground. It requires intense concentration.

While some in the crowd, which included NFL great Tom Brady, offered support during the routines, many also told others to be quiet, making a typically boisterous atmosphere sound more like a golf tournament.

Lee and Biles, who both stumbled at the end of their acrobatic series, couldn’t help but notice. They shared their disappointment afterward.

“There was a lot of pressure,” Lee said. “I don’t know if you could tell, but many people felt it.” “I think it was the crowd, but also just knowing that we’re so close to being done and adding that extra stress of wanting to end it the right way.”

The 21-year-old six-time Olympic medalist joked that she wondered if the sea of photographers a few feet away could hear her breathing.

“It adds to the stress because it feels like you’re the only one up there,” said Lee. “I was feeling the pressure.”