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women s gymnastics

Joy

Simone Biles and Jordan Chiles bow before Rebecca Andrade, embodying the Olympic spirit

Seeing the GOAT give a "We're not worthy" bow to her competitor is a sight to behold.

Photo credits: Agência Brasil Fotografias, Sarah Ladot, Ocoudis

Simone Biles and Jordan Chiles gave Brazilian gold medal winner Rebeca Andrade her props.

Every Olympics has moments captured on camera that go down in history. The photo finishes. The inspiring displays of sportsmanship. The records being broken and humans doing things no human has done before.

Simone Biles has had her fair share—or more—of iconic Olympic moments. And she just added another one to her list with the help of her friend and Team USA teammate, Jordan Chiles.

Unsurprisingly, Biles was favored to win gold in the floor exercise final for women's gymnastics at the 2024 Paris Olympics. The floor is one of her strongest events, and the high degree of difficulty in her routine offered some wiggle room for small errors.

Biles on the floor is like Jordan on the court at his peak—literally gravity-defying and simply mesmerizing to watch. But Brazilian gymnast Rebeca Andrade has been giving Biles a serious run for her money. In any other era, she'd have a pocket full of gold medals, but she's had the fortune-yet-misfortune of competing against the greatest gymnast of all time. However, she finally managed to eke out a win over the GOAT in the floor exercise final in Paris. Andrade took the gold, leaving Biles with the silver and Chiles the bronze.

If besting Simone Biles on the floor wasn't enough, Andrade got another boost as she approached the podium to receive her gold medal. In a synchronized gesture, giving props where it was due, Biles and Chiles knelt and bowed down before Andrade, creating one of those Olympic snapshots the world will never forget.

What was especially great about this moment wasn't just the genuine respect Biles and Chiles showed Andrade. It's the sheer joy with which they did it. Biles being so dominant in her sport could easily lead to pride and arrogance, which doesn't seem to have happened, and losing a gold she was expected to win could easily crush her spirit, but that also doesn't seem to have happened. The GOAT recognizes, acknowledges and honors greatness when she sees it, and Andrade clearly brought her A game.

Here we can see Chiles and Biles plotting to give Andrade the "We're not worthy" bow in real time:

Biles and Andrade have both talked about how they've pushed one another to be better, which is exactly what competition is about. And celebrating excellence wherever it comes from is exactly what the Olympic games are all about. Biles and Chiles embodied that Olympic spirit in the floor final and medal ceremony, doing what they came to Paris to do, making it to the medal podium and then lifting up the gymnast who outperformed them both.

Biles and Chiles spoke with reporters about what prompted them to do the bow and how much they admire "the queen" Andrade.

What a beautiful testament to good sportsmanship and joyful camaraderie between competitors, and what a wonderful example for us all.

Here's what people are saying about the moment:

"This is the best part of everything Just class and sportsmanship Soooo wholesome."

"This must be real meaning of the Olympics. How beautiful is that they congratulate and respect each other."

"This is exactly what it's all about! Celebrating the human spirit and perseverance. I love their story. Their competitiveness pushes each other to be their greatest selves."

"The nicest podium of all times. Fantastic women."

"The world's best - inside and out. What an amazing accomplishment."

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olympics

You've probably heard of badass Olympian Gabby Douglas.

Photo by Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images.

She's a gymnast who is currently competing in the 2016 Rio Olympics for Team USA.

On Aug. 9, 2016, Douglas and her teammates jumped, flipped, and spun their way onto the gold medal podium for the women's gymnastics team all-around. They got up on the stand and stood proudly as the U.S. national anthem blared through the stadium.

It was a happy moment. Until some jerks on the internet chimed in.

People online started criticizing Douglas for not putting her hand over her heart during the national anthem. She wasn't being patriotic enough, they said.

Photo by Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images.

The Virginia-born woman competing for Team USA in the Olympics while draped in a leotard almost literally made out of the American flag isn't patriotic enough.

I would say it's absurd, but we all know her patriotism isn't really the issue. After all, Michael Phelps laughed at his buddies' antics while the national anthem played for one of his gold medals, and no one took to Twitter to harass him.

But Douglas is black and a woman, and internet trolls, that's a double whammy in terms of being a target for harassment about everything from her hair to her smile to her general demeanor and even accusing her of bleaching her skin.

Women of color have to deal with more online harassment than anyone else by a long shot.

"I tried to stay off the internet because there's just so much negativity," Douglas reportedly said, choking back tears. "Either it was about my hair or my hand not over my heart [on the podium] or I look depressed. ... It was hurtful. It was hurtful. It was. It's been kind of a lot to deal with."

"Ghostbusters" star and Olympics enthusiast Leslie Jones also knows a thing or two about online harassment.

Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images.

Jones faced an absolutely horrific amount of harassment after "Ghostbusters" premiered in July, and when she heard what was happening to Gabby, she jumped to the gymnast's defense.

Jones started the hashtag #LOVE4GABBYUSA — a spin on the #LoveForLeslieJ hashtag people used to support her just a month ago — and other Twitter users started jumping in fast.

Gabby received support from TV producer Shonda Rhimes:

From actresses Kerry Washington and Gabrielle Union:

And TV writer Jose Molina:

If you ask me, comedian Aparna Nancherla said it best:

The internet can be a pretty terrible place. Harassment of women and people of color is commonplace, and most people don't have celebrities and hashtags to come to their defense.

One thing is for sure, though. Gabby Douglas is inspiring a lot more love than hate.

Because for every hurtful tweet, there's one like this:

11 tweets show why Simone Biles and Simone Manuel's Olympic wins are so important.

These powerhouse ladies won the world this week.

Get ready for every baby girl born in the latter half of 2016 to be named Simone.

Considering the incredible performances of not one but two Olympians named Simone, it's looking like the name itself may forever be equated with success.

Simone Biles (left) and Simone Manuel (right) kicking ass respectively. Photos by Alex Livesey/Getty Images and Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images.

After her incredible run of gold medals in Rio, it's no surprise that Simone Biles is being called the world's best gymnast.

Not only is she one of the most medaled gymnasts in history, her performance on Aug. 11, 2016, earned her a gold medal in individual all-around competition with what ESPN noted was the largest margin seen since 2006.

Simone Biles soaring high. Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images.

As female athletes have been compared to their male peers over and over again throughout the Rio Olympics (and many others), Biles decided to put a stop to it with one powerful phrase:

"I'm not the next Usain Bolt or Michael Phelps. I'm the first Simone Biles."

Just making sure it's real. Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images.

She's not the only Simone making waves at the Olympics. Team USA swimmer Simone Manuel is literally making waves, by shattering glass ceilings (figuratively) in the pool.

On Aug. 11, Simone Manuel became the first black female swimmer ever to take the gold in an individual event, when she tied with Penny Oleksiak in the 100-meter freestyle.

While that's meaningful in its own right, Manuel took it one giant step further by noting what her win means in the context of the increased awareness around incidents of police brutality and discrimination that black people have faced, especially in the past few years.

"Coming into the race I tried to take weight of the black community off my shoulders. It’s something I carry with me. I want to be an inspiration, but I would like there to be a day when it is not 'Simone the black swimmer,'"she told USA Today.

Manuel receiving her gold medal. Photo by Adam Pretty/Getty Images.

It's not surprising the world has fallen in love with these two women named Simone. Even more inspiring is that they're paving the way for black young women everywhere who aspire to one day be competitive athletes.

Here are 11 people who have been totally and personally inspired by the history-making achievements of Simone Biles and Simone Manuel:

1. This person who saw three girls who found a new role model in Simone Biles.

2. This person who wants us to appreciate that breaking barriers is what the Olympics is all about.

3. This person who noted that Simone Manuel's victory is historical in more ways than one.

4. This person who has just realized that God is a woman. And an athlete.

5. This person who recognized the pure poetry of Simone Biles and Simone Manuel's achievements.

6. This person who set the bar low for herself but was still totally inspired.

7. This person who pointed out how very real #BlackGirlMagic is.

8. This person who walks taller, because Simone Biles.

9. This aunt who has a lot of swim meets in her future.

10. This person who honored Simone Manuel with an amazing illustration.

11. This person who remembered Dorothy Dandridge's conflict with pools.

12. And this person who knows the haters are just gonna have to deal with it.

Simone Biles and Simone Manuel are the future of the Olympics and are making people across the country proud to be themselves and proud to be Americans.

At the rate these talented ladies are going, it might soon be time to rename the gold medal "The Simone." Just a suggestion.

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9 reasons to be a little obsessed with elite gymnast Simone Biles.

At 4 feet 9 inches, Simone Biles is rarely the tallest person in the room — at least until she steps onto the podium.

The 19-year-old just won the all-around title and helped the United States secure the team title at the Pacific Rim Gymnastics Championships in Everett, Washington.

In fact, this petite athlete is one of the premier gymnasts in the world, earning multiple world and U.S. all-around titles.

Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images.

Ahead of the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Biles is at the top of her game.

But since we only seem to hear about gymnasts every four years, you many not know much about her.

Here are nine amazing facts about the best gymnast in the world.

1. A chance encounter during a field trip introduced her to gymnastics.

She was 6 years old when her day care took a field trip to a gym. Young Simone mimicked the moves of the older athletes and caught the attention of coach Aimee Boorman. More than a decade later, the duo still work together.

Biles and Boorman hug after the 2015 World Championships. Photo by Ben Stanssall/AFP/Getty Images.

2. Simone was home-schooled for most of her education.

For years, her typical day involved four hours of studying and schoolwork at her training gym in the morning. Then gymnastics in the afternoon. When her training began, she put in 16 hours a week at the gym. Now, it's closer to 30.

Focused doesn't begin to describe it. Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images.

3. She's all about family.

Biles' mother struggled with addiction, but her grandparents were able to step in and provide care for Simone and her younger sister Adria. While she keeps in contact with her mother, her grandmother and grandfather are officially mom and dad.

4. She has a signature flip.

It's a double layout with a half twist, and it's known in gymnastics circles as "The Biles."

5. Even former champions are amazed by Simone's talent.

Former all-around champion Mary Lou Retton called Biles "unbeatable." In a story for Team USA, Retton said: "She may be the most talented gymnast I’ve ever seen in my life, honestly. And I don’t think she’s tapped into what she can really do."

Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images.

6. But despite her prowess, Biles still has to deal with the B.S.

In 2013, she became the first black world all-around champion. Carlotta Ferlito, an Italian gymnast who came in 11th place, told the Italian media, "I told [teammate Vanessa Ferrari] that next time we should also paint our skin black, so then we could win too."

Though she apologized for her comments, the Italian gymnastics body went on to defend Ferlito and suggest a trend where the sport may be favoring black athletes and body types.

Biles may have a handful of ignorant haters to contend with, but she shuts them down at every turn with one simple move: winning.

Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images.

7. She is a serious force to be reckoned with.

Think of someone who's really good at something. Now triple their accomplishments. That's Simone Biles.

She is a three-time world all-around champion, with consecutive wins in 2013, 2014, and 2015.

She is a three-time U.S. all-around champion with consecutive wins in, you guessed it, 2013, 2014, and 2015.

Plus, she has 10 world gold medals, a record for women's gymnastics. And she's not done yet.

How do you spell victory? S-I-M-O-N-E. Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images.

8. But when the training is done, Biles is a lot like us.

Well, as much as an elite athlete can be. She likes Zac Efron, she still gets dressed up for Halloween, and she's afraid of bees. She even ran off the podium when one flew in her face.

9. After gymnastics, she's thinking about a career in health care.

While many athletes of her ilk want to stay in the gym and work as a coach or trainer, Biles hopes to follow in her mom's footsteps and become a nurse.

"Which way to the lab? I'll point you in the right direction." Photo by Harry How/Getty Images.

The 2016 U.S. Olympic team trials for women's gymnastics get underway in July, and Biles is already a favorite.

Not just to make the team, but to win the all-around gold medal. Competing in the Olympics has been a dream of Biles' since she was a child.

After decades of work and effort, it looks like that dream is about to come true.

Watch Biles shine in this jaw-dropping floor routine from last weekend's Pacific Rim Championships.

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