Picture this: four years, three ACL injuries, and three missed world championships (2015, 2017, and 2017), but then standing tall with 6 Olympic and 9 world championship medals. How astonishing does it sound? That is what Brazil’s Olympic floor champion gymnast Rebeca Andrade is all about. Or is she something more than that? Yes, she is.

After the Paris Olympics, the gymnastics realm will forever remember her not just as a champion, but probably the only one who rattled the GOAT Simone Biles. Simone herself vindicated that. “I don’t want to compete with Rebecca no more. I’m tired like she’s way too close. I’ve never had an athlete that close,” she had said after winning gold in the individual all-around final in (59.131), following a neck-to-neck competition with Rebeca (57.932). But a few months ahead of it, Rebeca even contemplated quitting gymnastics after Paris.

As the dust of the Paris Olympics settles, Rebeca Andrade took to her Instagram to reveal about that dark phase she faced back in March. She remembers on March 16, 2024; she wrote a farewell letter to gymnastics on the phone, convinced that this would be her last Olympic cycle. In that letter, she opened up about the hurtful things people said like being called “ungrateful” and “selfish.” Fast forward to September 22, 2024, and Rebeca Andrade’s outlook has shifted.

Instead of closing the door on her gymnastics career, she’s filled with pride as she reflects on everything she’s achieved. “Today I am happy watching the pride of those who are important and that I love with all my heart, seeing that I won! Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine that I would become the greatest Olympian in the history of my country,” she admitted. And the fans are all in hailing her courage to hang on. One portion of Rebeca’s post was significant.

“Because of a hug, I didn’t give up. Because of a conversation, I evolved. Because of care, I persisted,” Rebeca wrote in her long post. Did she refer to Simone Biles? She never named her once in her post, but looking at the bond she shares with Simone despite being her biggest competitor, it does not look like an unfounded guess. Look at the latest instance.

Rebeca was standing atop the podium after the floor finals, accompanied by Simone (silver medalist) and Jordan Chiles (the then-bronze medalist). In a pinnacle of sportsmanship, the two gymnasts wholeheartedly bowed to Rebeca after receiving their medals- a moment that will surely be one of the iconic moments of Olympic history.

“She’s so amazing. She’s queen. First, it was an all-Black podium, so that was super exciting for us. She’s such an excitement to watch, and then all the fans in the crowd always cheering for her, so it was just the right thing to do,” Simone had later said about that. The GOAT says Rebeca pushes her to bring out her best while Rebeca says it is an honor to compete beside Simone. How many more such instances of mutual respect between the two do we bring up? Take the 2023 World Championships.

When Rebeca edged out Simone to win the vault at the event, the latter mimicked taking a crown off her own head and putting it onto the Brazilian’s. the two later danced together at a party. Go further back in time to the year 2018.

Rebeca was down with the second of her three ACL injuries. She was still recovering from that injury and could not compete in the all-around at the 2018 Worlds. Just after the meet was over, the two crossed paths in the hotel lobby. while Simone had medaled in every routine in the event, Rebeca had none. Simone sat beside her and Rebeca still remembers the soothing words she had offered.

“It was such a kind moment, so affectionate, because there was no one else around. She told me, ‘Don’t give up. You’re talented. And you’re going to get past this,'” Rebeca had revealed in an interview with the Washington Post. Rebeca got her chance to return the favor when Simone came back to the competition after the twisties debacle. “The best in the world was able to show us that things can happen, and you can get past it, and return,” Rebeca had said.

So such moments make Rebeca stand where she is today, starting from a bunk bed in a favela on the outskirts of Guarulhos, São Paulo, one of many overcrowded slums with houses that look like shacks near Brazil’s city centers. How could the fans not adore this?

Fans adorn Rebeca Andrade with a warrior tag

One fan captured the excitement perfectly, commenting, “You are a GIANT, little fox! SO PROUD to know that you are BRAZILIAN and a WARRIOR. I want to CHEER FOR you even MORE, JUMP TIC, JUMP ❤️🔥🔥” This really sums up Rebeca Andrade’s amazing journey as the most decorated Brazilian gymnast, boasting six Olympic and nine world medals!

Rebeca Andrade was instrumental in helping Brazil secure its first Olympic team medal—a bronze—while also snagging individual silvers in the all-around and vault, and a gold on the floor exercise, even outshining Simone Biles in the process. But at the same time, Andrade wanted that and stated, “I really wanted a gold medal. I was really fighting hard to make it happen, and I wanted to hear the Brazilian national anthem play again at the Olympics. I was very proud of myself; it wasn’t an easy Olympics.” Brazil also wanted to see her top the podium and as it happened, the sport found a maddening recognition in the football-dominated nation.

In Guarulhos, a Sao Paulo suburb where Rebeca Andrade first trained, hundreds of new students are eager to follow her path. The local gymnastics center filled all 425 spots in under 48 hours. Rosana Marques, the center’s coordinator, said demand tripled since her success. Erika Martins, a mom of two aspiring gymnasts, called Andrade an “immense motivation.”

One fan perfectly summed it up: “Rebecca so young, so mature, so girly, so woman, so champion and so warrior. You are light and wherever you go, you shine. God bless you on this well-deserved vacation. What an incredible year! But God still has beautiful dreams for you. Believe that. All my love, care, respect, and admiration.”

Since the Tokyo Olympics, Rebeca has truly stood out, especially after making her Olympic debut in Rio 2016, as the teenager who caught everyone’s attention by qualifying for the all-around final. Despite finishing 11th, she set the stage for her future. Her journey hasn’t been easy; after withdrawing from the 2017 world championships because of an ACL tear.

Many feared Rebeca might retire. But she persevered, eventually making history in Tokyo by becoming the first Brazilian woman to win an Olympic medal in gymnastics, claiming silver in the all-around and gold in vault. She followed this with gold in vault and silver on uneven bars at the 2021 World Championships. By 2022, she was crowned the first South American World All-Around Champion. In 2023 worlds, after Biles returned, she beat her for the vault title. She definitely deserves some quiet moments after all these.

So a fan aptly expressed, “Rest and come back even stronger to make us proud, just like you did this cycle! 🫶🏻😍🙌🏼💨” Another echoed the sentiment, saying, “May God grant you a long life and many blessings in your journey. PARADISE loves you!” One more chimed in, “Rebeca, the woman who has conquered the world and continues to do so. You’re amazing, and you are the pride of the Brazilian people! 🥹❤️” Indeed, Rebeca’s journey to the Olympic podium has been the one for gymnastics’ most compelling tales.