Simone Biles and Nancy Kerrigan both shed tears (and advanced) on “Dancing with the Stars” on Monday, performing to music inspired by their most memorable years.
Neither Biles nor Kerrigan picked their Olympic years. Rather, Biles chose 2000, when she was placed in foster care. Kerrigan chose 1996, when she had her first child, followed by six miscarriages in an eight-year span before her second child.
Biles and partner Sasha Farber had the second-highest score of the night -- 36 out of 40 -- to advance in the final nine. Mr. T was eliminated.
After an emotional video, Biles was in tears before her dance and found her parents in the crowd afterward.
“It made me cry even more that they were crying,” Biles said later.
Biles and her parents stood together on the dance floor as the judges revealed their scores.
“This is what I have been waiting for is this emotion to come through,” judge Julianne Hough said. “Sometimes gymnasts have a really hard time coming on this show because everything is so perfect and placed. ... Sometimes, being perfect is not the story that we need to tell.”
Kerrigan and partner Artem Chigvintsev scored 33 out of 40, fourth-highest on the night. Kerrigan discussed her series of miscarriages in a video before their dance.
“It makes you feel like a failure,” the 1992 and 1994 Olympic figure skating medalist said.
Two of the four judges said Kerrigan was the most improved celebrity from week to week.
“You’ve moved from the pack into a front-runner,” judge Len Goodman said.
Kerrigan and Biles are looking to become the sixth Olympian to win the Mirrorball Trophy in the series’ 24 seasons, joining Yamaguchi, Apolo Ohno, Shawn Johnson, Meryl Davis and Laurie Hernandez.
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VIDEO: Little girl mimics Simone Biles on TV