Here’s another one that’s wide open, and predictions got even more scrambled when the odds on favorite Zhou, fell on beam during team finals - which has been a theme for China in Paris, their stars scrubbing on their specialties. That said, barring another fall, Zhou’s difficulty rating otherwise makes her untouchable on beam.
Lee also looked shaky during both quals and all around on beam, but smashed it during team finals, so she is perfectly capable of taking silver at the least. As long as she comes into the event final with that competitive fire we saw in her during all around, she could come away from beam with her seventh Olympic medal, tying Shannon Miller.
Biles also looms having earned bronze on beam in the past two Olympics and if Zhou and Lee hit, then Biles is in position to make it three Olympics in a row with a bronze on beam.
Andrade is of course in the field as well and is always dangerous. Voinea could make a move as she tries to bring home Romania’s first medal in gymnastics since London. Esposito and D’Amato are also strong competitors for Italy. Soares in place of Saraiva makes the field a shade less competitive, but she is still within striking distance.
Again, beam is wide open.
Prediction
Gold - Zhou
Silver - Lee
Bronze - Biles