After Rebecca Andrade defeated Simone Biles and Jordan Chiles to win the gold medal, the Brazilian competitor bowed down to her with affection.
Andrade won four medals at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, France: two silver, one bronze, and one gold. This made Andrade the most decorated Brazilian athlete in history. She ultimately defeated Biles to win the gold medal, but the 27-year-old Olympian went to her rival Rebeca Andrade to give her a hearty hug and high five.
Just before the score was to be revealed, Biles was heard on camera making predictions about who might win gold. “I believe she got that one,” she remarked. Rebeca seems to have won this one. Yes, I’m afraid.
Biles lost to Andrade in the competition because she twice went out of bounds during her routine and struggled with a sore calf that she had been having since the Olympic qualifying round. In the end, Biles scored 14.133—a little bit lower than Andrade’s score of 14.166, but still enough to give her the victory. Chiles, Biles’s teammate, scored 13.766 to start the competition in fourth place. After filing an inquiry, the judges revised Chiles’ score, placing her in third place and awarding her a bronze medal.
Biles and Chiles graciously bowed down to the newly minted gold medalist on the Olympic platform when all of the medalists posed together on the podium. The touching scene inspired viewers worldwide to express their admiration for Team USA’s encouraging demeanor and their admiration for the demonstration of sportsmanship.
One person wrote, “A picture sufficient enough to tell about the true spirit of the Olympics.” Another said, in the meantime: “Women helping other women.” Gorgeous.
Another person said, “Competitors not enemies… this is beautiful.”
“Perhaps we ought to hang it in the Louvre.” The Louvre added a cheeky message on social media.
Long after the awards show, Biles kept singing Andrade’s praises. “I hold her in the highest regard. Biles remarked, “She’s such a great competitor. She challenges me constantly. Being able to compete against her is an honor.
Biles made similar comments after winning the women’s all-around finals, stating that Andrade kept her alert after the Brazilian competitor came within a hair’s breadth of taking home the gold instead of the silver.
“I want to stop competing against Rebeca! I’m worn out. I’ve never had an athlete so close to me as she is,” Biles acknowledged at a press conference. “It really helped me stay focused and brought out my best athletic side. I’m eager and honored to compete against her, but — no.
“I’ve never been so stressed before,” she continued. I’m grateful, Rebecca.
Andrade won silver at the time, while Suni Lee, the reigning gold medallist, finished third despite stiff competition from Kaylia Nemour of Algeria and Alice D’Amato of Italy.
