Simone Biles had many memorable moments at the Paris Olympics. However, the gymnast felt a lot of pressure as she handed over the Olympic flag to Hollywood icon Tom Cruise during the closing ceremony. On the most recent episode of The Tonight Show on YouTube, the 27-year-old spoke with Jimmy Fallon about this pressurized experience.
Following her setback in Tokyo, Biles had been eager to excel in Paris that season. The gymnast finally returned to her remarkable form, earning three gold medals in women’s artistic individual all-around, women’s artistic team all-around, and women’s vault and a silver in women’s floor exercise.
This marked a watershed moment in her illustrious career, as she had silenced many critics and returned to the top of the sport. While Biles had handled the pressure of gymnastics’ individual and team championships, she still had one major event left on her schedule.
The gymnast had been assigned to carry the Olympic flag to none other than Tom Cruise, putting her under pressure. Fallon had also acknowledged the “pressure” of meeting one of Hollywood’s most prestigious individuals.
Biles also shared her biggest fear upon meeting the actor:
“I’m always tripping, falling down stairs. Like, bad for me. So, actually, that’s like, the most nervous I was for the whole entire Olympics. I was like, ‘Okay, I have to hand the flag off.’ Like, ‘Don’t mess it up, don’t mess it up.’ I was terrified.”
Biles was experiencing a variety of emotions throughout the event. She was aware of her falling problem and never wanted it to occur during the closing ceremony in Paris.
Eventually, things went well between her and the Hollywood actor during the Paris Olympics’ closing ceremony, and she appreciated Cruise’s positive personality.
Biles also mentioned that the American producer sent flowers and met the gymnast’s mother. Despite the stress, she had a fantastic meeting with Tom Cruise and enjoyed an incredible experience.
Following the tragedy at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, Biles needed a platform to return, and the Paris Olympics provided exactly that. She added four more Olympic medals to her amazing collection, and her impact on the sport will continue even if she does not compete in the next edition of the renowned event.
