Simone Biles has already conquered everything possible. Ten Olympic medals, seven of which are gold, 23 world championships and seven more duller medals on top of that.
With 40 competition medals, he is the gymnast who has won the most medals of all time, and there are already five movements named after him. The sixth movement would have been ready, but he did not present it in Paris yet.
Biles would no longer have to compete for success. Despite this, he has returned to the top after the difficulties, and he really wanted to compete in Paris.
Biles, 27, said one of her biggest motivations was not wanting to regret it later.
– Do I want to watch, for example, the World Cup or Paris on TV and think, ‘Wow, if only I had gone to the gym and put in a little effort…’ Because after my career, I always have the opportunity to do what I want, but I can’t do my career forever, Biles said recently The International Olympic Committee olympics.com in the interview.
In recent years, the American has been kept on his toes by Brazil’s number one gymnast Rebecca Andrade25. The media has tried to create a traditional competition arrangement between the duo, but the gymnasts themselves have not agreed to it.
They compete against each other, but there is more respect and friendship between them than competition.
At last year’s World Championships in Antwerp, Biles and Andrade once again stood waiting for the award ceremony – Biles as the gold medalist and Andrade as the silver medalist – Biles did quite a symbolic gesture: he took an imaginary crown from his head and moved it to Andrade’s head. As if to give a head start. Later in the evening, the duo danced at the WC banquet hand in hand and having fun.
Andrade saw Biles’ gesture as a genuine recognition of her status in gymnastics.
– I am so proud to know that I can carry on his legacy. And not just me, but many others, Andrade said to olympics.com.
In Paris, the two have joked about their competitive setup. After the 4-match, Biles said In an interview with NBC that he was proud to compete with Andrade, but laughed that he doesn’t like it anymore.
– I’m tired. “He’s gotten too close,” Biles said through a big smile.
– No gymnast has gotten as close, so she keeps me on my toes. At the same time, it brings out the best athlete in me.
Andrade had her own response to Biles’ comment:
– It was cool to know that I got him to work, wasn’t it?
From difficult conditions to success
Biles grew up in a broken home. The father had left the family early on and the mother suffered from drug and alcohol problems. Biles and her little sister were saved by their grandparents, who adopted the siblings.
If Biles’ childhood was difficult, Andrade hasn’t had it easy either. He lived his youth in the municipality of Guarulhos in the state of São Paulo in poor conditions with seven siblings. His single mother Rosa Santos did everything she could so that her daughter could practice.
Andrade was introduced to the sport at the age of four, a couple of years younger than Biles. His Cida-his aunt worked as a cook at a school with a gymnasium and guided him to gymnastics.
The gym looked like an amusement park to the lively child. However, he had to walk for hours to get to practice from the favela where he lived because he couldn’t afford a bus. Emerson-brother always waited for him during practice and escorted him home from practice.
Andrade brought success to Brazil already in his junior years, but his promising career has experienced severe setbacks. He has suffered from an anterior cruciate ligament injury in the same knee no less than three times. However, this has not stopped Andrade from getting back to the top, rather the injuries have increased his desire to win.
– It has been the most difficult to return to training, because there is more pain. When it happened the third time, I already knew what to expect and I knew what the process of rehabilitation was like. So it wasn’t that difficult, Andrade assured to olympics.com.
Biles has also played her part in furthering Andrade’s career. At the 2018 World Championships, Andrade returned to real action after his second knee injury, Biles encouraged the Brazilian to continue his racing career.
Rebeca Andrade at the World Championships, Doha 28 October 2018
– In that moment, it was just the two of us. He didn’t have to say anything, because he spoke from his heart, Andrade said.
Biles and Andrade have dominated women’s balance beam gymnastics for the past few years, even though both have been away from competition for long periods of time. Biles missed the Tokyo Olympics because she suffered from the so-called twisties phenomenon. In that case, the athlete’s body does not understand its position in rotating movements, and it can cause life-threatening situations.
While Biles was away for a couple of years, Andrade collected medals. At the 2023 World Championships in Antwerp, they were in the same competition for a long time.
Ten years earlier, at the age of only 16, Biles had achieved her first World Championship golds in Antwerp, and this time she won the championships in the team competition, match, beam and beam. On vault, Biles attempted the most difficult vault in women’s gymnastics, the Yurchenko vault with two vaults, as she had succeeded in qualifying. In the final, she failed a jump, and got silver, the world championship was won by Rebeca Andrade.
– I am satisfied with my result, but I am sad about (Biles’) fall. “I know how much gymnasts train to do that jump,” Andrade said for ESPN and stated that he would not be able to do that crazy jump himself.
– I don’t have the right body for it.
“We need you”
The Paris Olympics could be the last meeting between Biles and Andrade. The continuation of Biles’ career has been rumored several times, and she herself has hinted that she is quitting. Andradeka isn’t sure about the continuation of her career either. According to him, it all depends on how his body can handle it.
Despite the joking, the two have said that they are looking forward to meeting each other on the racing fields. Biles has reminded that Andrade has been on the podium with her very often, they push each other forward and thus get more out of themselves.
– I love competing against Rebeca. She makes me try harder, do better landings and everything, Biles beamed at her rival Gymnastic Now’s in the interview.
For Andrade, competing against or alongside Biles is an honor because it also pushes her to do her best. He told Globo Esporte in the interview, Biles told him about his intentions to quit.
– I told him: ‘Don’t do it. We need you!’ He is a great inspiration to us.
For Biles, success has changed form over the years. He has emphasized the importance of mental well-being, not so much the achievement of medals.
– Previously, everyone defined success for me, even though I had my own story. Now it’s about showing up, being in a good frame of mind, having fun and letting whatever happens happen, Biles stated to olympics.com.
Sources: olympics.com, ESPN, AFP, AP, NBC, Globo Esporte, Gymnastic Now, EssentiallySports