2016 olympics

Laurie Hernandez Wins Silver on Balance Beam

Laurie Hernandez.
Laurie Hernandez. Photo: Lars Baron/Getty Images

The Final Five won team gold last Tuesday, but the gymnastics event finals continue in Rio. Team USA’s Other Olympic Sweetheart, Laurie Hernandez, won her first individual Olympic medal, a silver, on the balance beam today.

Sanne Wevers of the Netherlands won with a 15.466, followed by Hernandez with 15.333 and Simone Biles, in a surprising third, with 14.733.

Biles, the individual all-around champ, was favored to win but she stumbled on a front flip and needed to grab the beam to steady herself. Earlier in the day she had become the most decorated American gymnast of all time by winning gold on the vault and was hoping to win gold on beam and tomorrow’s floor exercise to go five for five.

Team USA coaches actually contested Hernandez’s score by filing an inquiry with the judges — which costs $100 cash — but the inquiry was rejected along with a request from France.

Yesterday, Madison Kocian won silver on the uneven bars and Gabby Douglas placed seventh. Biles and Aly Raisman will compete in floor exercise tomorrow.