Being there in Paris during the Olympics, I felt both anxious and honored as I witnessed Simone Biles in all her glory. Anyone who has seen Simone’s journey from Rio to Paris knows the challenges she’s faced and the battles she has fought. While many were calling her ‘quitter’, Simone Biles, the GOAT of gymnastics, overcame every obstacle that came her way with sheer determination—indeed, a story for the ages.

Thanks to Netflix, we get to relive Simone’s journey from Tokyo to Paris and her tale of redemption. Today, on 25th October, Netflix released two new episodes of her docuseries, Simone Biles Rising. And, being her biggest fan I was in awe watching her preparing for the greatest sports spectacle – the Olympics.

As the series advanced, there were many moments that hooked me to my screen and made me ponder over how the 11x Olympic medalist made it through the rough waters. Here are the top five must-see moments from Simone Biles Rising:

1) A Warrior Cannot Fight Alone

While the Tokyo Olympics didn’t give an opportunity for spectators to enter the arena (due to Covid-19 restrictions), Paris opened its doors for everyone. In the French capital, Biles’ entire family showed up every day to support her. They’ve been her rock since the start. Her husband, Jonathan Owens, even skipped his training to stand by her side. “It just means everything to me that he [Jonathan Owens] could show up and support because he also knows that he’s my comfort person,” Biles confessed in her docuseries.

Interestingly, the series takes us not only through Simone’s journey but also through the emotions and perspective of her family. When Rebeca Andrade came close in the All-Around, Simone’s family gave her an encouraging nod, and she did what she does best—she won!

Now, one cannot talk about support and miss the gymnast’s coaches. Gymnastics has sometimes been infamous for having tough coaches, but Cécile and Laurent Landi stand out. It’s evident they don’t just want medals but aim to give her an experience of a lifetime by supporting her through thick and thin. And the series will take you to various emotional moments where Biles’ coaches helped her regain her confidence and cheered for her when she stood atop the podium in Paris.

2) Mental Strength for Sustainability

Simone Biles is synonymous with mental health advocacy, but this series goes even deeper. Simone hasn’t just healed from past struggles, but she’s built her mental resilience to protect her future. As Laurie Hernandez says in the series, “For an athlete like Simone, there’s a reason we’re seeing very few injuries from her. Now it’s just about focusing up here.”

Her mental strength keeps her career sustainable, proving she can excel even at 27.

3) Simone Biles writes her own narrative

Since the Tokyo Games, Simone has been called a “quitter.” Facing waves of criticism, she even feared being ostracized in America. She had nothing to prove and could have stepped away, but instead, she chose to rewrite her story—not only by returning to her beloved arena, but also by winning the Olympic glory.

Turning public defamation into motivation? There’s much to learn from her.

4) Growth Never Stops

After the ‘twisties’ episode at the Tokyo Olympics, the gymnast admitted that she struggled to communicate her mental health issues to her coaches. “The world is going to hate me,” were her intrinsic fears after she withdrew from the 2022 Olympics. However, after taking a hiatus, when Biles returned, she neglected the clamors and focused on working on her overall cognitive health.

Nonetheless, Simone Biles credits the major chunk of her success to the people who supported her and helped her navigate the tough time. “I wanted to quit like 500,000 times and I would’ve if it weren’t for my people,” acknowledge the gymnast. Reflecting on the same, in part-2 of the Simone Biles Rising, Cecile Landi shared that after returning, Biles endured the mental toughness and she does not hesitate to talk about how important mental health is. “Now she’ll tell you. Four years ago, maybe not, but now she will,” mentioned Landi.

5) Sportsmanship- no one does it like Simone Biles

Simone is one of the most competitive athletes in the world, yet she values camaraderie. Her bow to Rebeca Andrade after the Brazilian clinched gold in the Women’s floor final was a powerful moment. To be called the GOAT and still respect a rival’s journey defines true sportsmanship.

I was lucky enough to interact with American and Brazilian fans in Paris. One would expect some bitterness in the rivalry between nations, but all I saw was a love for the sport, regardless of who took the podium. This wouldn’t happen without Simone and Andrade showing mutual respect.

Despite witnessing everything in Paris, watching this series gave me goosebumps, made me emotional, and reminded me that there’s truly no one like Simone Biles.