We know Simone Biles as a superhuman. And why wouldn’t we? The gymnast went through a harrowing experience 3 years ago in the Japanese capital. The Twisties took a toll on her, and she eventually stepped away from the sport and the spotlight to work on herself. But eventually, she clawed her way back to the top amidst a thunderous cheer at the Bercy Arena. When she made it through the U.S. Trials, the 27-year-old claimed her third berth would be the Redemption Tour.
In the first two episodes of her Netflix documentary, fans got to catch up with the Olympian after everything that went down during her time in Tokyo. From having to deal with the after-effects of the games to occasionally being called a ‘quitter’, the gymnast had been through it all. However, on October 25, two new episodes were released by the streaming platform giants. This time, the cameras followed her around the French capital. What did they unravel?
Simone Biles’ highs and lows throughout the 2024 Paris Olympics
Simone Biles rose through the ranks during her dreamy Parisian stint. Every time she stepped onto the mat, we couldn’t help but feel enchanted by her flawless routines. The 27-year-old had built her legacy brick by brick from the Rio Games. But in Paris? She got to shut the naysayers down and etch her name in history, all without uttering a single word. One user was particularly blown away after watching the documentary and shared their query on the gymnastics subreddit. “Hi all! I finished watching the beautifully-made Simone Biles Rising, and ended up with one question: how does she keep competing with no major injuries?”
They added that one of the experts on the show said the Olympian was taking a different approach this time. She was focusing on training smarter and on her mental health. However, this confused the fans even more. They couldn’t understand what training smarter meant. One of the biggest changes for the athlete was to ensure she looked after her body and mind. Since Tokyo, she’s made therapy an integral part of her life. “Thursday is kind of my therapeutic day, and I try to take a day for myself,” the gymnast confessed.
However, the thought of getting injured did have her clamp up in fear. During the U.S. Olympic Trials, 3 gymnasts walked away with gruesome injuries. Watching this, Simone Biles couldn’t help but feel uneasy. “Whenever something like that happens, you’re so terrified. An injury can happen to any of us at any point. So I think we get a little weary once that happens,” she admitted. Her coach, Cecile Landi, noticed a sudden shift in the mood. She mentioned how the gymnast was probably worried she was next.
Undeterred, the coach tried calming the team down. “That’s when we kind of told the girls, like, ‘Hey, stay in your bubble. Just try not to look around.” But no amount of reassurance seemed to work. The G.O.A.T. exclaimed that they would always overthink the logistics after anything like that happens, and how couldn’t they? No one wanted to repeat the fate she faced in Tokyo. However, the gymnast pulled through and walked away with four Olympic medals. So, did the documentary confuse the rest of the fans too?
Fans have drawn their own conclusions after watching gymnast’s epic saga
“Working five years for a dream and just having to give it up, it was not easy at all.” Tokyo was the first time many fans had witnessed cracks. The Olympian confessed how difficult that decision was. But after taking two years off the mat, she slowly built her way back from the basics to finally executing her most difficult routines. In some way, taking those first few steps towards bettering her mental health helped her become the most decorated gymnast in history. However, fans seem to have their theories.
One fan exclaimed, “I think one of the key parts of her training is that she takes time to rest and recover after each quad. After Rio, she took 2017 off. After Tokyo, she took 2022 off. She will take 2025 off. We won’t know if she plans to try for LA until 2026 or 2027, as that would be when she would resume training and competing in preparation for another Olympic cycle.” Many believe Simone Biles stepped away from the sport for the first time.
But that isn’t the case. The 27-year-old debuted on the world’s biggest stage in 2016 and effortlessly clinched five Olympic medals. Yet she decided to slow down momentarily and step away from the spotlight. Even though she repeated that cycle in 2020, it was more for her mental health and not because she needed to kick her feet up. However, the Olympian focused on other things, like the Gold Over America Tour. So, we understand why this fan believes it has helped her retain her form.
A fan pointed out, “I think that there are a number of factors to this. She is just better than everyone else. Skills are easier for you than others which reduces risk. She has had really good coaches who understand pacing and adjust her training better when minor issues due occur.” They also agreed about her rest time but mentioned that luck will always play a huge part. Another fan agreed, “She has been paced to perfection. She speaks up for herself and is heard by her coaches.” Isn’t it nice to be able to advocate for yourself?
Simone Bile definitely agrees. When the 27-year-old suffered from a debilitating case of the “twisties” in Paris, she addressed how Cecile and Laurent Landi helped her focus on her mental health at her pace. The gymnast admitted that she always knew Tokyo wouldn’t be her last. Once she got back to the gym, all the Olympian had to do was trust the process with her coaches, and they’d help get her back.
One fan stated, “Let’s also just acknowledge that she’s competed injured and we didn’t know. She competed with a kidney stone. She competed with an injury at the Olympics.” It’s true. The 27-year-old had often pushed through the pain. In fact, it happened at the Bercy Arena right in front of our eyes.
On her first attempt at the vault, Simone Biles knew something was wrong with her calves. Hoping it wasn’t her Achilles heel, she scrambled over to Cecile. But there was another fear at the back of her mind. The gymnast didn’t want people to think she was going to quit again. But the team doctors had a look and asked her to take some much-needed rest. Shortly after, the Olympian was back on the mat, ready to claim her throne.
Another fan debated, “Someone suggested once that it helps that she never had a growth spurt. She never had to relearn skills in a “new” body with an altered center of gravity, where the muscle memory isn’t aligned with the actual body you’re in, which can lead to injury.” While the fan agrees that this doesn’t entirely eradicate the possibility of an injury, it probably gives the Olympian an upper hand.
Simone Biles is relatively short, standing at 4’8″. The very thing many would think worked against her helps execute her complex routines effortlessly. The gymnast has a low center of gravity that would often help with stability and balance on every apparatus she competes on. Even though there were no answers in the documentary, the fans will have to make do with their own speculations for now. What do you think could be the reason behind the G.O.A.T. dominance on the mat?
