Canada’s Ellie Black narrowly misses podium with personal-best 4th place in Olympic balance beam final

Canadian Ellie Black just missed the podium in the women’s balance beam final with a fourth-place finish on Tuesday at the Tokyo Olympic Games.

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China’s Guan Chenchen captured gold, scoring 14.6333 as the final competitor to take to the beam, while fellow Chinese gymnast Tang Xijing claimed silver with a score of 14.233.

American superstar Simone Biles won bronze in her return to competition, posting a score of 14.000.

Black, of Halifax, N.S., finished with a score 13.866. Her total was tied with Sunisa Lee of the United States, but Black finished ahead after receiving a better execution score.

The 25-year-old Black has been competing while dealing with a sprained left ankle that she reinjured in a practice last week.

The injury had caused her to withdraw from the all-around final that took place Thursday. She had initially injured her ankle less than a month prior to the Olympics.

After Tuesday’s competition, Black said her team of trainers and physiotherapists worked around the clock to get her ready, and yet she still wasn’t sure that she’d be ready to compete. Last week she couldn’t walk on the injury, and her ankle was black and blue, she said.

“Mostly I was just really proud of myself. Really proud,” she said through tears.

“It’s hard coming fourth, but after my routine I was crying because I was so proud of myself just for getting here, getting to the final, being able to do that.

“It’s tough when it’s not exactly the way you want especially because I had to take out some difficulty and I didn’t get a lot of practice on my beam routine. But that being said, just to be out there and have the opportunity I’m really happy with that.”

Black said fans have been sending her supportive messages since she announced the injury, which “really helped drive me to be able to get out there today.”

Asked whether she will aim to compete at the Paris Games in four years, Black replied: “I’m not ready to be done gymnastics now.”

This was Black’s third Olympic Games.

CBC