Rebeca Andrade, the Brazilian gymnast who was widely expected to be Simone Biles‘ greatest challenger going into the 2024 Olympics, is living up to the expectations. As she has throughout the Paris games, Andrade pushed Biles to the limit in Saturday’s vault finals and finished second behind the American legend.
She was also on her heels in other competitions, and ending up winning gold during the final women’s gymnastics event for floor routine. Biles placed behind her in silver and Jordan Chiles nabbed bronze.
Andrade is from São Paulo, Brazil and was raised with her seven siblings by their single mother in a working-class neighborhood. As People reports, she started gymnastics when she was four and her aunt took her to the gym where she worked and she began doing gymnastics there.
She almost gave up gymnastics after she had three ACL tears, Time reported. But it was Biles who encouraged her to keep going. In her Netflix documentary, Simone Biles Rising, Biles says Andrade is her toughest challenger and she scares her the most.
Rebeca e Simone provando que a rivalidade feminina não precisa existir nem dentro de campo e que uma mulher deve sim levantar a outra 💜#sororidade pic.twitter.com/42hN7jtXzP
— Robs™ 🌵 (@beruta) August 1, 2024
The pair have always shown respect for each other. When Biles won gold in the floor final at the 2023 World Championships, she placed the crown she earned on Andrade’s head.
Andrade continued to show respect in Paris after she helped her team win their first Olympic medal in the team event.
“It is an honor to compete alongside her, to cheer for her,” the 25-year-old said, per Time. “Simone is a reference for the entire world, not just for gymnastics, but for many athletes.”
The support Rebeca Andrade and Simone Biles show each other 🥹 pic.twitter.com/8xGajVYhHc
— espnW (@espnW) August 3, 2024
After winning her second gold medal on Aug. 1 during the individual all-around competition, Biles jokingly said she tired of competing against Andrade.
https://t.co/S5b77R0LDw pic.twitter.com/H1fOuustxc
— Gymnastics Now (@Gymnastics_Now) August 1, 2024
“I’m excited and proud to compete with [Andrade], but I don’t like it no more,” Biles said while laughing. “I mean, I’m getting uncomfortable, guys. I don’t like that feeling. I was stressing… I don’t want to compete with Rebeca no more. I’m tired. She’s way too close. I’ve never had an athlete that close, so it definitely put me on my toes and it brought up the best athlete in myself.”
