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PARIS — In what was (probably) supposed to be her Olympic final, Simone Biles finally showed her age. At least a little.

The 27-year-old, the oldest American gymnast to compete in the Olympics since the 1950s, fell off the balance beam in the final of that event and then was unable to overcome apparent tightness in her back and pain in her left calf in the floor final.

She still won silver in the floor exercise, which is an excellent result for anyone, but a significant surprise in a discipline she has dominated for years.

Despite a massive one-point lead in difficulty, Biles was unable to overcome two out-of-bounds moves. Brazil’s Rebeca Andrade won gold with a score of 14.166. Biles finished with a score of 14.133, losing 0.600 in penalties and an uncharacteristic 7.833 in execution.

Her American teammate Jordan Chiles won bronze with a score of 13.766. Chiles was initially credited with a score of 13.66, but after an appeal, this was raised, allowing her to make the podium.

Biles didn’t seem upset about the silver medal. She celebrated her friend Andrade and hugged her friend and teammate Chiles. The event was about great competition, not necessarily the order of finish. It was sportsmanship in its purest form.

“Today was absolutely wild,” Biles said. “Obviously there’s fatigue and whatever, but it’s such an honor… I accomplished more than I could have imagined in my wildest dreams, so I can’t be unhappy with my performance.”

“Taking home four medals… I can’t be mad about that. I’m actually proud of it.”

During the floor exercise warm-up, Biles held her back after a tumbling run. Doctors examined her back and re-wrapped her left calf – a treatment for the left calf pain that had plagued her throughout the Olympics.

“It was just her calf that was a little sore during the warm-up,” said coach Cecile Landi. “When she hit the ball the first time, it hurt a little bit.”

“It’s day eight,” Landi continued. “She’s a little tired, emotionally and physically it’s been a long week. She made mistakes on the floor, but you make mistakes and you’re still a silver medalist, which is pretty cool.”

In what was likely her last Olympic appearance, the sold-out crowd at the Bercy Arena, once again filled with celebrities, stood up and gave her a thunderous applause and shouts of “USA! USA!” regardless of her medal position.

This was not only a cause for celebration, but also a tribute to the way Biles has advanced the sport over the past decade and more.

The victory was Biles’ 11th career Olympic medal, putting her in a tie for second place among medalists alongside 1960s star Vera Caslavska of Czechoslovakia.

Larisa Latynina of the Soviet Union leads with 18 medals, including nine gold medals, at the 1956, 1960 and 1964 Olympic Games. The sport is much more competitive today, especially among specialists in individual disciplines.

Biles was already by far the most successful American gymnast of all time (Shannon Miller has a total of 7 medals).