Simone Biles's five gold bid ends as Wevers takes beam title

Yahoo – AFP, Aug 15, 2016

Sanne Wevers competes in the women's balance beam in Rio on August 15,
2016 (AFP Photo/Toshifumi Kitamura)

Rio de Janeiro (AFP) - Simone Biles's bid for a record five women's gymnastics gold medals in Rio ended Monday when the US star was beaten into third place on the beam by Sanne Wevers of the Netherlands.

Biles -- a gold medallist in the team, all-around and vault in Rio -- fought to stay on the apparatus during her routine, scoring just 14.733 points.

It was the first time the 19-year-old has been beaten in a final since 2013.

Wevers, 24, took gold with 15.466 points ahead of American Lauren Hernandez, who won silver with 15.333.

The Dutch gymnast finished runner-up to three-time world all-around champion Biles on the beam at last year's world championships.

Despite getting off to a strong start the 1.45m (4ft 9ins) Texan put her hands down on the beam after landing a front somersault.

Biles still has a chance for a record-equalling fourth gold in Tuesday's floor final.

Soviet gymnast Larissa Latynina (1956), Czech Vera Caslavska (1968) and Romanian Ecaterina Szabo (1984), have all also won four gold medals at the same Olympics.

Sanne Wevers acknowledges the crowd. Photo: AP 

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