Simone Biles almost had a Deja Vu in Paris! After having a heartbreak in Tokyo due to her complications regarding twisties, Biles wanted to come back strong in Tokyo. Having prepared herself for Paris Olympics day in and day out, Biles termed it as her ‘redemption tour’. 

Unfortunately, things almost got out of hand when Biles made her first attempt at the vault. Aiming for a triple-double, Biles suddenly felt an uneasy sensation in her calves. Soon after landing, Biles had a chill run down her spine.

Biles desperately prayed that her Achilles Heel would not get injured at such a crucial moment. After all, she did not want herself to be labeled as a ‘quitter’ again. In the latest episode of her Netflix documentary, ‘Simone Biles: Rising’, the US gymnastics queen reminisced about her panicking moment. She said, “As soon as I took off I was like, oh that hurt really bad that didn’t feel right. I just felt like a weird sensation in my calf muscle. And at first in my head like I’m in the air and I was like, no way that was my Achilles… I was like People are gonna think I’m quitting again” Scared to the core, Biles immediately went to her coach, Cecile Landi to seek help.

Getting herself a trainer, immediate inspections were made and thankfully, the injury was not a big deal. While Biles was asked to rest, a swarm of thoughts clouded her mind. She immediately went back to the horrific days of Tokyo when she felt an uneasy sensation within her. Not finding any other alternative, Biles had to withdraw herself, with almost the entire country labeling her as a ‘quitter’. Biles was so frustrated with people calling her names after Tokyo, she was determined to go for glory despite the odds. 

Weeks before the latest episodes of the Netflix documentary were released, Biles had a conversation with her former mate, Aly Raisman. When Raisman asked her why she went through the pain in Paris and competed with a calf injury, Biles replied, “I couldn’t have people tell me I was a quitter again.” Surely, such a feeling crossing her mind was legit. After all, Biles went through a lot post her Tokyo debacle. 

After she returned home, Biles almost considered giving up on gymnastics. However, it was her family and Jonathan Owens who pulled her up from the dust and instilled the zeal to come at it again. Her recovery process was not at all a bed of roses. Biles struggled significantly to get back her mojo while training and even resorted to therapy. After a long and hard toil, it was the 2023 Worlds that brought a broad smile on Biles’ face for the first time post-Tokyo. 

Winning the gold medal meant a lot for her. And while the world marveled, Biles did not look back. She went on to conquer every major tournament en route to the Paris Olympics. In fact, she was so focused on her event, that the 27-year-old even skipped attending the Opening Ceremony. Thus, after all the sacrifices and hard work being done, the sensation in Simone Biles’ calves was not a good sign. But well, Biles is known to ‘rise’. Always. And so she did. 

Simone Biles captures the gymnastics crown in style

With the Bercy Arena brimming with names like Ariana Grande, SnoopDog, Tom Cruise, and more, Biles had to do it. More so for her own sake than the others. And thus, it was a one-way road for the US gymnastics queen. And boy did she perform well! Taking the centerstage initially for the team finals, the legendary Olympian blew her competition to oblivion. Putting up a scintillating display on all the apparatuses, Biles ensured that the Team USA girls would have the gold this time. A feat that she could not achieve back in Tokyo. 

Immediately, the headlines were made and Biles was at the top of the Olympics scenario. But the champion was not finished yet. Going on a one-on-one against her arch-rival Rebeca Andrade, Biles faced a tough challenge. Having botched her uneven bars routine, Andrade threatened to run away with the all-around title. However, Biles had the best of her performances stored for the last. After bridging the gap with Andrade on the parallel bars, it was time for the floors. 

Gifting a visual treat to the audience, Biles’ impeccable floor routine rocketed her score to 59.131 to crown her the champion. With it, the GOAT locket came out and Simone Biles’ redemption was officially complete. She also added another gold in the vault and a silver in the individual floor category to mark the end of a stupendous Olympics outing at the French capital. Thus, despite going through a slight hiccup, it was her zeal and determination that made her overcome the odds and emerge as a legend of the Olympic folklore.