After experiencing three ACL tears, Brazilian gymnast Rebeca Andrade thought several times about giving up gymnastics. None other than Simone Biles, the most decorated gymnast of all time, encouraged her to continue.
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That’s even though Biles, in her recent Netflix documentary, Simone Biles Rising, admitted that Andrade is her fiercest competitor and “scares me the most.”
But it’s been a friendly and respectful rivalry between the gymnasts for years. At the 2023 world championships, after the floor final in which Biles secured gold and Andrade silver, Biles placed the crown she was given atop Andrade’s head.
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“It is an honor to compete alongside her, to cheer for her,” Andrade, 25, said after helping the Brazilian women win their first Olympic medal in the team event in Paris, behind Biles and the U.S. women’s gold. “Simone is a reference for the entire world, not just for gymnastics, but for many athletes.”
Andrade, who will compete in the women’s gymnastics all-around as well as balance beam, floor, and vault individual events in Paris, is herself is an icon in the sport in Brazil. “She surely has made gymnastics more popular for young people,” says Luica Martins, a Brazilian fan attending the Games. “She has a sparkle so I hope she does great.”
Andrade is the Olympic silver medalist in the all-around from Tokyo and was chosen by her countrymates to carry the flag at the closing ceremonies for those Games. She won the all-around title at the world championships in 2022, when Biles did not compete, bested Biles at the 2023 world championships in vault, and is the reigning Olympic vault champion. In Paris, she is expected to unleash a new vault skill, a triple twisting Yurchenko in which she pushes herself off the vault in a backflip and executes three twists before landing. If she does so successfully, she will join Biles in having a move named after her. (Biles has five so far and is looking to add to that tally.)
The Brazilian women’s first ever medal in the women’s team event is due in large part to Andrade, and the interest in gymnastics that she has sparked—a strong enough movement to field a team of gymnasts that is now among the best in the world. But the road to becoming Biles’ biggest challenger hasn’t been easy. She’s used her recovery from her injuries to continue adding difficulty to her routines, bringing her the real possibility of outscoring Biles if the Greatest of All Time has an off night. “It’s about doing my best. And I hope [Biles] does too,” Andrade told AFP.