August 4, 2024: The crowd erupted in hoots and cheers as gymnastics GOAT Simone Biles did something that would forever remain a part of the history books. As Brazil’s Rebeca Andrade left her behind and in awe clinching the Paris Olympics Floor exerciser gold, Biles and her teammate, Jordan Chiles—who had initially won bronze before losing it to Romania’s Ana Barbosu—bowed to the gold medalist.

Biles later talked about the iconic moment. “It was an all-black podium so that was super-exciting for us, but then Jordan was like ‘should we bow to her?’ and I was like ‘absolutely’.” However, that’s not all as the US gymnast was in absolute awe of her competitor, and she still is (but we’ll get to that later as…).

Biles further commented on her heart-winning gesture, “Rebeca’s so amazing, she’s a queen…She’s such an excitement to watch and then all the fans in the crowd were always cheering for her, so it was just the right thing to do.” And since then, both the world-class athletes have always remembered to sneak in little shout-outs here and there…

In a recent TikTok posted by Netflix Brazil, Simone Biles opened up about her admiration for the Brazilian. For Simone, every time they compete against each other, it’s not just about the medals—it’s “such a special moment” because they both bring their A-game and incredible talent to the floor. She highlighted Rebeca’s amazing qualities, calling her “very powerful, very elegant, very clean,” and added that she’s truly “a beautiful gymnast to watch.” You can tell Simone really appreciates Rebeca’s artistry and skill, and it’s clear they both light up the arena when they perform.

But Simone didn’t stop there! She shared how proud she is of all that Rebeca has accomplished, celebrating her journey and the hard work behind it. “You have overcome so much,” she said, recognizing the challenges Rebeca faced to get to this point. With genuine warmth, Simone wished her good luck for the future, cheering her on not just as a competitor but as a friend, rooting for her every step of the way. Andrade, on the other hand, is also equally fond of her fierce competitor.

In an interview with CNN Esportes, the 25-year-old admitted, “So there were two athletes there with very high potential, along with other athletes too, of course, but as we are talking here about her and me, you know, with enormous potential who encouraged each other, who cheered for each other both they wanted to win But that didn’t stop us from wanting the best from each other, you know, I think that’s the most beautiful thing.”

Rebeca’s journey hasn’t been easy, right? Growing up in a humble family with her mother as a maid, she faced significant economic challenges. Thankfully, she had the unwavering support of her siblings, especially Emerson, who drove her to training every day and sometimes, family issues forced her to pause practice, and her coaches had to step in to help.

At just nine, Rebeca’s coach invited her to move to Curitiba, the heart of gymnastics excellence and despite criticism, her mother, Rosa, believed in her dreams. Four years later, Rebeca became a Brazilian champion and earned her first World Cup medal. But coming back to how Simone felt about Rebeca’s fierce talent at the Paris Olympics…

Simone Biles fears Rebeca Andrade

In the fourth episode of Netflix’s Simone Biles Rising Season 2, Simone Biles’ nervousness was on full display during the all-around competition as she recognized the formidable challenge posed by her long-time rival, Rebeca Andrade. The anxiety peaked when it was time for Simone to tackle the vault event. Rebeca executed a stunning Cheng vault, nearly nailing the landing before gracefully saluting the judges. The crowd erupted, and Simone couldn’t help but marvel at what she had just witnessed—“unreal” was an understatement!

With wonder in Simone’s voice, she admitted, “Once she stuck that, I was like, ‘Oh, you gotta be kidding me.’ [Simone] Once she stuck that, I was like, ‘Oh, you gotta be kidding me.’ She’s not human. People think I’m not human. She’s not human’.” Rebeca’s score of 15.1 was a jaw-dropper, leading the vault category by a wide margin, with Suni Lee trailing far behind at 13.933 points. But when it was Simone’s turn, the nerves melted away. Despite her earlier jitters, she launched into her now-retired Yurchenko double pike with a spectacular leap, landing cleanly and confidently.

However, it’s safe to the Biles was left breathless. I don’t want to compete with Rebeca any more. I’m tired, like she’s way too close. I’ve never had an athlete that close,” the 27-year-old admitted in a post-competition interview.

This performance earned Simone an impressive 15.766 points, catapulting her to the top of the leaderboard and setting the tone for an unforgettable evening. Ultimately, Simone claimed the gold medal, outpacing Rebeca, who gracefully accepted her silver. So, while Simone Biles may have feared Rebeca’s prowess, she walked away with the gold as if it were all just another day at the gym!