Simone Biles Leads by Example, Celebrating Black Women's Triumphs and Solidarity at 2024 Olympics
Written By: Jackie Rae
In circles within and outside the Black community, the narrative regarding Black women is often toxic and negative. Yet on the largest stage, Simone Biles set the example, showing the world what it means to be successful, competitive, and supportive of other Black women simultaneously.
In the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, Rebeca Andrade narrowly edged out Simone Biles for first place in the floor exercise by just 0.033 points, marking a significant moment in her career. After finishing as the silver medalist behind Biles in both the individual all-around and vault at previous Olympics, defeating one of the greatest gymnasts in history is a triumph she'll savor forever. Andrade’s victory is even more remarkable given the adversity she's faced, including three ACL tears that affected her Olympic journey. Yet, in Paris, she not only shined individually but also helped Brazil secure bronze in the team all-around.
Make no mistake, seeing Biles and Andrade at the top of the craft is awe-inspiring. Biles questioned if she was mentally prepared to come back after she had to step away for mental health reasons. There is always a mental lag when coming back from a physical injury. Andrade, doing that three times, speaks to a mental and physical endurance that seems almost super-human.
Jordan Chiles stood at the podium in third place for the Bronze medal, a victory that only happened because of Simone Biles's support. Chiles told Elle Magazine she was going to retire from gymnastics after facing a litany of scrutiny her entire career.
“Every single time I went into a competition, I was like, ‘Well, what are they going to say this time?'" the 23-year-old told Elle. To make matters worse, she was repeatedly scrutinized regarding her weight. That, coupled with not being named to the senior national team or the world team in 2018, made Chiles decide five years of effort was enough, and she was on the verge of retiring.
Simone Biles would have no part of a talented young athlete giving into the naysayers. She invited Chiles to train with her at World Champions Centre, the gym run by her parents Nellie and Ron Biles in Spring, Texas.
In 2021, Chiles secured her spot on the Tokyo-bound women’s gymnastics team by finishing third at the Olympic Trials. Thanks to her hard work and the encouragement she received from Biles, the world witnessed on of the most iconic moments in sports history.
Simone Biles, Jordan Chiles, and Rebeca Andrade stood at the medal podium, marking the first time in Olympic history that three Black women swept the podium. In an even more iconic moment, the American duo graciously bowed while the Brazilian gymnast celebrated her gold medal victory, highlighting a beautiful display of solidarity and mutual respect among elite Black athletes.
Biles, the most talked-about and decorated gymnast at the Games, didn't let her own stardom overshadow Andrade's moment. Instead, she emphasized the importance of uplifting others, especially fellow Black women. Andrade's Paris performance made her the most decorated athlete in Brazilian history, a title that Biles celebrated as much as her own accomplishments.
And the support didn’t stop there. The spirit of support between Biles and Chiles was equally evident when Biles took to social media to advocate for her friend after a video surfaced showing a potential scoring mishap that may have unfairly impacted Chiles' bronze medal standing. Despite the controversy surrounding her own score, which could have moved her ahead of Andrade for gold, Biles expressed no bitterness, stating, "Rebeca had a better floor anyways," and instead shifted her focus toward justice for Chiles, passionately advocating for her fellow gymnast to have her medal reinstated.
This sisterhood extended beyond the gym floor. At the 2024 MTV Video Music Awards, Chiles was presented with a symbolic bronze clock by Flavor Flav, who also pledged financial support, recognizing her achievements even as the official results remained in dispute.
Through it all, Biles continues to demonstrate how Black women in sports can uplift one another, sharing in both victories and challenges. Whether advocating for Chiles or celebrating Andrade’s historic win, she reinforces the importance of sisterhood and solidarity, creating a legacy far beyond medals.