I was both honored and nervous to be in Paris during the Olympics and see Simone Biles in her prime. Anyone who has followed Simone’s trip from Rio to Paris is aware of the difficulties and struggles she has encountered. Despite being referred to as “quitter” by many, Simone Biles, the greatest gymnast of all time, persevered through every challenge she faced; it is truly a tale for the ages.

We are able to experience Simone’s trip from Tokyo to Paris and her story of redemption because of Netflix. Two new episodes of her documentary series Simone Biles Rising were made available on Netflix today, October 25. As her biggest admirer, I was also amazed to see her getting ready for the Olympics, the biggest sporting event.

I found myself glued to my TV as the series progressed, wondering how the 11-time Olympic champion managed to survive the challenging conditions. The following are Simone Biles Rising’s top five must-see moments:

1) A Warrior Cannot Fight Alone

Due to COVID-19 regulations, the Tokyo Olympics did not allow spectators to enter the arena; nevertheless, Paris welcomed everyone. Every day, Biles’ whole family came to the French capital to support her. Since the beginning, they have supported her. Jonathan Owens, her spouse, even forwent his training to support her. In her documentary series, Biles admitted, “It means the world to me that he [Jonathan Owens] could come and support because he also knows that he’s my comfort person.”

It’s interesting to note that the series follows Simone’s journey while simultaneously examining her family’s feelings and viewpoint. Simone’s family encouraged her when Rebeca Andrade came near in the All-Around.

It is now impossible to discuss assistance without mentioning the gymnasts’ coaches. Although gymnastics has a reputation for having strict instructors, Cécile and Laurent Landi are particularly noteworthy. They clearly want to offer her an experience of a lifetime by being by her side no matter what, rather than just giving her medals. Additionally, the series will show you a number of poignant moments in which Biles’ coaches supported her when she stood on the podium in Paris and helped her restore her confidence.

2) Mental Strength for Sustainability

Although Simone Biles is well-known for her support of mental health, this series goes even farther. In addition to overcoming her previous hardships, Simone has strengthened her mental fortitude to safeguard her future. As Laurie Hernandez says in the series, “For an athlete like Simone, there’s a reason we’re seeing very few injuries from her. Now it’s just about focusing up here.”

Her ability to succeed even at the age of 27 is demonstrated by her mental toughness, which sustains her profession.

3) Simone Biles writes her own narrative

Simone has been labeled a “quitter” ever since the Tokyo Games. She even worried about being shunned in America due to the outpouring of criticism. She might have left and had nothing to prove, but instead she decided to change her tale by winning the Olympic gold and by going back to her favorite stadium.

Turning public defamation into motivation? There’s much to learn from her.

4) Growth Never Stops

Following her struggle with the “twisties” at the Tokyo Olympics, gymnast Simone Biles confessed to having a hard time expressing her mental health challenges to her coaches. Internally, she feared, “The world is going to hate me,” after making the difficult decision to withdraw from the 2022 Olympics. Yet, upon taking a much-needed break, Biles made a comeback by tuning out external pressures and dedicating herself to improving her mental well-being.

Biles attributes much of her success to the unwavering support of her loved ones, who helped her through her most challenging moments. “I wanted to quit like 500,000 times and I would’ve if it weren’t for my people,” she admits. Echoing this sentiment in part two of Simone Biles Rising, coach Cecile Landi shared how Biles emerged mentally stronger after her return, now openly discussing the importance of mental health. “Now she’ll tell you. Four years ago, maybe not, but now she will,” Landi noted.

5) Sportsmanship- no one does it like Simone Biles

Despite being one of the world’s most competitive athletes, Simone cherishes friendship. After the Brazilian won gold in the Women’s floor final, she made a strong bow to Rebeca Andrade. True sportsmanship is being regarded as the greatest of all time but still honoring a rival’s path.

In Paris, I had the good fortune to meet Brazilian and American enthusiasts. Although some resentment is to be expected in international rivalry, all I witnessed was a passion for the game, regardless of the winner. Without mutual respect between Simone and Andrade, this would not have occurred.

Even though I saw everything in Paris, this series still made me cry, gave me chills, and made me realize that no one is really like Simone Biles.