After experiencing three ACL tears, Brazilian gymnast Rebeca Andrade considered giving up gymnastics several times. Simone Biles, the most decorated gymnast of all time, encouraged her to persevere.
In her recent Netflix documentary, Simone Biles Rising, Biles acknowledged that Andrade is her toughest competitor and “scares me the most.”
However, their rivalry has always been friendly and respectful. At the 2023 world championships, after Biles won gold and Andrade took silver in the floor final, Biles placed the crown she received on Andrade’s head.
“It is an honor to compete alongside her, to cheer for her,” Andrade, 25, said after helping the Brazilian women win their first Olympic medal in the team event in Paris, behind the United States. “Simone is a reference for the entire world, not just for gymnastics, but for many athletes.”
Andrade, who will compete in the women’s gymnastics all-around as well as balance beam, floor, and vault individual events in Paris, is a gymnastics icon in Brazil. “She surely has made gymnastics more popular for young people,” says Luica Martins, a Brazilian fan attending the Games. “She has a sparkle so I hope she does great.”
Andrade is the Olympic silver medalist in the all-around from Tokyo and was chosen by her countrymates to carry the flag at the closing ceremonies for those Games. She won the all-around title at the world championships in 2022, when Biles did not compete, defeated Biles at the 2023 world championships in vault, and is the reigning Olympic vault champion. In Paris, she is expected to unveil a new vault skill, a triple twisting Yurchenko in which she pushes herself off the vault in a backflip and executes three twists before landing. If she performs it successfully, she will join Biles in having a move named after her. (Biles has the Biles, and is looking to have a second skill named after her.)
The Brazilian women’s first ever medal in the women’s team event is largely due to Andrade, and the interest in gymnastics that she has sparked—a strong enough movement to field a team of gymnasts that is now among the best in the world. But the path to becoming Biles’ biggest challenger hasn’t been easy. She’s used her recovery from her injuries to continue adding difficulty to her routines, giving her a real chance of outscoring Biles if the American has an off night. “It’s about doing my best. And I hope [Biles] does too,” Andrade said.