It was precisely 20 minutes past eight when Simone Biles made her entrance onto the floor for her final performance. The arena was hushed and calm, with every apparatus unoccupied. This was her moment, commanding the full attention of everyone present.
Watching from the sidelines were Zinedine Zidane, Steph Curry, Tony Hawk, and Nadia Comaneci, four of the greatest athletes in the last century, all there to witness one of their own. As Comaneci noted during a live interview broadcasted on the big screen at the session’s start: “Everyone’s here to see the incredible Simone Biles.” She took a brief pause before adding: “And 23 other gymnasts.”
With Usain Bolt and Michael Phelps retired, Biles stands as the last of the premier Olympic icons of the 21st century still competing in the Games. She’s the main attraction, the one athlete capable of drawing in viewers who might not typically engage with sports to witness the best of the best.
What unfolded was a rarity—a showdown between Biles and her closest rival, the second-best gymnast in the world, Brazil’s Rebeca Andrade. For years, competitors have been vying for second place. Biles has remained undefeated in all-around events since 2013, when she was outperformed by her teammate, Kyla Ross, during the Chemnitz Friendly. But this time, Andrade, 25 years old and the silver medalist in this event in 2021, posed a legitimate threat.
Andrade triumphed over Biles in the vault at last year’s world championships. Afterward, Biles playfully placed a pretend crown on her head when they stood on the podium together. Nonetheless, most—including Andrade’s coaches—concur that she hasn’t fully caught up to Biles. When both are at their peak, Biles prevails. Yet a mistake could grant Andrade the opportunity to surpass her.
And it nearly happened. On the uneven bars, historically Biles’s weakest apparatus, she launched too high during a transition and had to bend her knees to avoid a fall as she grabbed the low bar. Her comeback was spectacular, landing a remarkable double twist, double backflip dismount flawlessly. However, her frustration was evident as she walked to her coach, remarking to herself about her performance. She earned a disappointing 13.733, placing her third behind Andrade and Algeria’s Kaylia Nemour.
“At that moment,” Biles reflected afterward, “I’m not sure what I was doing, but I was praying to every god out there.”
From that point on, Biles could afford no errors. “I’ve never experienced such stress!” she exclaimed, thanking Rebeca. She had to deliver near perfection—and she did. There was scarcely any wobble on the balance beam, and her score of 14.566 propelled her back into first place before the final event.
Andrade posted a score of 14.033 on the floor, meaning Biles needed at least 13.868 to secure the gold. The outcome was uncertain until she executed her first breathtaking triple-double tumble; once her feet hit the ground, it was evident what was to come.
Biles clinched the gold by a margin of 1.199 points. At 27, she is the oldest woman in over 70 years to win the all-around title, joining the ranks of only two others who have achieved it and becoming the first to do so in non-consecutive Games.
Her teammate Sunisa Lee took home the bronze, while British gymnasts Alice Kinsella and Georgia-Mae Fenton improved their qualifying placements, finishing in 12th and 18th respectively.
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“I’m exhausted,” Biles said with a broad smile. “Rebeca’s way too close. I’ve never had an athlete so close, and it definitely kept me on my toes. It brought out the best in me, but honestly, it was stressful out there.”
It was heartening to see her laughing while she spoke, especially considering the time when she feared she might never compete again after experiencing the twisties in Tokyo.
“Three years ago, I never imagined I would set foot on the gymnastics floor again, given everything that transpired,” she confessed. “Before Tokyo, I was so anxious about potential injuries that I overlooked my mental health, which ultimately led to an injury. It was a mental injury, which was almost more challenging than a physical one, because doctors can provide a timeline for physical injuries, while with mental injuries, you can only say, ‘time will tell.’”
Since then, she has been in therapy—and was again the morning of the finals, as she is “every Thursday.”
Biles’s openness regarding her struggles to compete has profoundly impacted her sport, perhaps more than any of the distinctive moves she has invented and perfected over the years.
When asked if she had a final message, Biles, now wearing a diamond necklace shaped like a goat, replied: “Keep your head straight, enjoy the journey, and aim high.” And she added later: “It’s not over until it’s over.”
