After Simone Biles won four gold medals in Rio in 2016, we, the gymnastics fans, had sky-high hopes for her as she headed to Tokyo 2020. She arrived as the star of the U.S. Olympic movement, with the weight of all those expectations on her shoulders. She thought she was ready for it all, but right before the women’s gymnastics team final, something didn’t feel right. Even the greatest of all time knew something was off.

Instead of pushing through as she did in the past, Biles made the tough call to step back, opening the door for the Russian athletes to take gold for the first time in nearly 30 years, which was heralded by her withdrawal, citing “twisties.” Forward to 2024, the time the Paris Olympics rolled around, the hopes for Simone were again just as high. She didn’t disappoint the mass this time, winning three gold medals and a silver. And there was a special guest in Paris to document her journey: Katie Walsh, who followed Biles closely.

Walsh was working on a major project, Simone Biles: Rising Part 2, set for release on October 25th. The documentary covers Biles’ journey from making the U.S. Olympic team at the 2024 Trials to her remarkable performances in Paris. Walsh, the director of Simone Biles: Rising on Netflix, described Biles as “calm, cool, and collected” in the Paris Olympics. In a recent interview with Fox News, Walsh shared his view on Biles’ success at these Olympics, even though she didn’t win four gold medals this time.

Walsh explained that Biles wasn’t weighed down by others’ expectations. “She had said to me, I mean, we as the outsiders put all these expectations for her to just win everything all the time. But for her, I know team and all around were so important, that was what she was really focused on. And that was where she really wanted those. So I don’t think there was even an iota of disappointment in her medal count,” Walsh noted. But this time, at the Paris Olympics, it was something entirely different—like witnessing a whole new side of her journey.

Walsh has been working with Simone Biles since 2019, but she first gained attention with the documentary series Simone vs. Herself in 2021. The big question now is: Has the G.O.A.T. overcome the twisties completely?

Simone Biles keeping her head above water

Just before the Paris Olympics, Biles really put into practice the lessons that have inspired millions around the globe. She had therapy sessions with her U.S.-based therapist, who even stayed up late to support her during two of her biggest competitions in France: the women’s team and all-around finals. While she admitted she’s still on the road to recovery, Biles highlighted how crucial mental well-being is. As she put it, “The Olympics can be such a draining process for the athletes, especially with multiple days of competition.” Staying on top of both mental and physical health was key for her.

The legend has talked about how seeking help was a necessary step after years of avoiding the trauma her sport had caused her, including the abuse by the former U.S. team doctor. Recovery hasn’t been easy for her. At one point, she felt like she was walking away from a dream she’d worked five years to achieve, filled with doubts about whether she could regain her extraordinary skills. She candidly shared, “This is a mental injury that they can’t see.”

However, after that massive Paris comeback, Simone noticed a shift in the online chatter, where after the Tokyo Olympics she was called her “quitter.” While the negative comments had stung at times, they’ve quieted down. “After all these years of putting in the mental work, it’s paid off,” she ruminates. For Simone Biles, that kind of progress means so much more than gold.