Every story has two sides, right? Take Simone Biles and Rebeca Andrade, for example. We all saw that moment in the Paris Olympics when Simone bowed to Rebeca, but there’s also what Simone said: “I don’t want to compete with Rebeca anymore! I am tired.” It makes you wonder what’s really going on between these two outstanding gymnasts. So, what’s the real story? Let’s delve into their rivalry with insights from Katie Walsh, who has been closely observing the situation.
The second part of “Simone Biles Rising,” which was broadcast towards the end of October, showed a glimpse behind the scenes of Simone’s journey to clinching three gold medals at the 2024 Paris Olympics. The documentary also offered a sneak peek into the story of Brazilian gymnast Rebeca Andrade, who secured a gold medal in floor exercises and has developed a friendship with Simone. Katie Walsh is a director with multiple Emmy Awards under her belt and was involved in the production of a Netflix documentary set in Paris. She recently discussed with VEJA magazine the competition between Simone and Rebeca which brought new depth to the story.
When Katie Walsh was asked about the relationship between the Biles and Rebeca, she expressed, “Simone and Rebeca Andrade are incredible athletes and wonderful human beings.” It’s clear that both Simone and Rebeca have left an impression through their achievements well as their camaraderie and mutual respect.
Rebeca’s rise started back at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, when she took on a role after Simone Biles had to withdraw from much of the competition due to twisties. But since then, Andrade’s journey hasn’t been easy either. She encountered challenges by tearing her ACL three times from 2015 to 2019. Each setback could’ve marked the end of her gymnastics career, but instead, she fueled her determination to make a comeback. Following her ACL injury experience, she expressed, “Each time I overcame something tough, I was more determined to come back; I wanted to win even more.” Despite everything, Rebeca showed up with confidence in Paris.
