Simone Biles walked into the Bercy Arena once again on August 5 as the most decorated gymnast, boasting an incredible 10 Olympic and 30 World Championship medals. She was gunning for her 11th Olympic medal and fourth gold at the Paris Olympics during the Balance Beam finals. Team USA brought in their top seeds for the event, with Suni Lee and Simone Biles both eyeing the podium after their stunning performances in the All-Around finals just days earlier on August 1. But things didn’t go quite as planned!

Simone, the reigning 2023 world champion on the beam, was hoping to dazzle once again. But when it came time for her routine, disaster struck. After a solid start, Simone wobbled on one of her flips, and despite sticking the dismount, she ended up falling off the beam. The judges gave her a score of 13.100, landing her in fifth place.

Suni Lee, who was second to go, also had a rough ride. She started strong but stumbled on a landing, ending up with her legs splayed on the beam and taking a tumble. Despite finishing her routine with determination, she scored the same as Simone—13.100—and ended up in sixth place. With the top spots wide open, it was Italy’s Alice D’Amato who seized the moment. After helping Italy snag silver in the team event, Alice stepped up and outperformed her American rivals, snatching the spotlight and the medal!

Despite a near-wobble on her front flip layout step-out, she held her balance like a pro and stuck her 2.5 dismount, earning a stunning 14.366. This score not only landed her the gold but also firmly placed her above the competition including Simone—applauding her stellar performance.

The overall podium for the Women’s Balance Beam Final at the Paris 2024 Olympics:

Gold Medal: Alice D’Amato (Italy) – 14.366
Silver Medal: Zhou Yaqin (People’s Republic of China) – 14.100
Bronze Medal: Manila Esposito (Italy) – 14.000

So who is Alice D’Amato who managed to outshine the Team USA All-Around Golden Girls and snatch away their Balance Beam gold?

Get to know the phenom Alice D’Amato, who led the Italian women into gymnastics history!

Alice D’Amato is a 21-year-old Genoa, Italy, native, born on February 7, 2003, While specific details about her parents aren’t widely publicized, Alice grew up in Genoa, Italy, and began her gymnastics journey there with her twin sister, Asia D’Amato. Alice represents her country at both the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and the ongoing 2024 Paris Olympics.

She was part of the teams that clinched silver at the 2024 Olympics, bronze at the 2019 World Championships, and gold at the 2022 and 2024 European Championships. Alice D’Amato clinched gold in the uneven bars at both the 2023 and 2024 European Championships. Individually, she earned a bronze medal at the 2019 European Championships and the 2023 World Championships in Stuttgart.

At the 2024 Olympics, she helped Italy qualify for the team final in second place and made it to the all-around, uneven bars, balance beam, and floor exercise event finals.

Tying with Simone Biles and Rebeca Andrade for the most individual finals qualifications, Alice’s performance was nothing short of spectacular. In the team final, she contributed scores on all four events, matching Italy’s highest Olympic team placement, a feat last achieved 96 years ago at the 1928 Olympics. With all these achievements under her belt, Alice’s net worth is estimated to be between $1 million and $5 million, primarily from her gymnastics career.

Reflecting on her stellar career, what do you think of 21-year-old Alice D’Amato outpacing gymnastics stars Suni Lee and Simone Biles at the Paris Olympics? With one final event left—the Floor Exercise—do you think Simone Biles can make a comeback? Share your thoughts in the comments below!