Everyone loves a redemption story. So when Simone Biles, Sunisa Lee, Jordan Chiles, Jade Carey and Hezly Rivera won gold on Tuesday in the women’s gymnastics all-around final, it made sense that the narrative would focus on Team USA’s comeback after placing second. in Tokyo three years ago. Their victory “helped erase memories of silver,” he wrote The New York Times. Other media outlets called the 2021 performance “disappointing.” Biles – who withdrew from some Tokyo events due to mental health issues – has been at the center of many of these stories. Although she was praised for emerging as the most decorated gymnast in history and for leading her team to gold in 2024Biles cannot escape references to having “derailed the team’s gold medal hopes”In 2021.
Team USA swimming has received similar treatment in coverage of events so far in Paris. Following Bobby Finke’s silver medal in the men’s 800 freestyle on Tuesday, NPR published a chunk titled “Once-mighty U.S. swim team sinks in first Olympic races, winning just two gold medals.”
The history of the two teams and competitions is different, but the message is the same – silver, apparently, is not good enough. But why?
The relationship between Olympic medals and success
“We have multiple constructions or versions of what it means to win and lose,” Francisco Duinaprofessor of sociology at Bates College and author of Winning: Reflections on an American Obsession, told Yahoo Life. In the Olympics, different teams and even individuals are subject to different standards of success based on established expectations.
In this case, victory is not defined by the color of the medal, but rather by the ability to “fulfill expectations as they were established,” says Duina. “Anything below that is considered a failure.”
By that measure, third place is a success for USA Men’s Gymnastics, a team that had not previously won an Olympic medal in 16 years. O first olympic medal for the US women’s rugby sevens team is also historic and exciting. Both results exceeded expectations, at least as defined by the general public.
The narrative surrounding the women’s gymnastics team in Tokyo and Paris also stems from this. Their performance in 2021 fell short of the expectations set by their gold medal wins in 2012 and 2016. Before 2024, the gymnastics team would be on a “redemption journey” to return to that standard of success.
But there’s still difficulty in giving the silver medal a negative connotation, especially considering Biles’ openness about the mental health difficulties she was facing at the time, he says. Imani M. Cheersprofessor of media and public relations at George Washington University, specializing in the representation of black women in the media.
“I find it ridiculous that anyone would criticize someone who has more Olympic medals in gymnastics than anyone else in history, someone who is performing literally death-defying feats in their sport, someone who is brave enough to not only prioritize but also discuss their mental health and why it’s important to prioritize that mental health,” Cheers told Yahoo Life, noting that even when Biles won gold, she faced criticism for things as trivial as her hair. “I think she deserves not just grace, but a lot of gratitude.”
Beyond media framing and public perception, how do the athletes themselves feel about bringing back a medal that isn’t gold? A 2016 study analyzing the emotions of Olympic athletes on the podium revealed that there are multiple factors that impact the happiness of a silver or bronze medalist. Some cases show that those in third place are happier than those in second. “Silver medalists might think about how disappointed they are about not winning gold, and bronze medalists think about how lucky they are to be on the podium,” the paper suggests.
Context, such as how close each medalist’s scores are to their performance in the competition, can also influence these emotions. For the record, Biles appeared to be nothing more than proud of his team’s silver medal in 2021 – and its gold in 2024.
How can we change the narrative?
First and foremost, it’s important to celebrate an athlete or team’s current achievements and embrace the journey that got them here.
“At this moment, where Simone has managed to lead her team, lead her country to victory and secure the gold medal, anyone who says anything negative is just a hater because there is nothing negative that can be said,” says Cheers. “There is also nothing negative about belittling or trying to erase a silver medal, which is a great achievement.”
Second, try to adopt the Olympic athlete’s own standard of success, which these days has little to do with medals. “I feel like success is just what I do. I had success competing in the Olympic Trials, being part of the Paris Olympic team, so we’ll see from here on out,” Biles said. after winning the US Olympic Trials earlier this summer. “We do it for ourselves and for the love of the sport and the love of representing the USA. So let’s go out there and do our best.”
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