OLYMPIC GAMES | ARTISTIC GYMNASTICS
Who is Rebeca Andrade? The Brazilian gymnast up against Biles at the 2024 Paris Olympics
Andrade, 25, has recovered from no fewer than three ACL tears to write her name into Brazil’s sporting history books.
Brazil’s Rebeca Andrade won the fourth Olympic medal of her artistic gymnastics career today, having proved the closest challenger to Simone Biles in the women’s individual all-around final in Paris.
Andrade “proud” to cross swords with Biles
Andrade took silver in the all-around for a second straight Summer Games, pushing Biles hard but finishing behind the Team USA superstar, who secured the sixth Olympic gold of her illustrious career. Biles finished with a score of 59.131, just ahead of Andrade’s 57.932. American Sunisa Lee completed the podium, totalling 56.465 at Bercy Arena.
Speaking after going toe to toe with Biles for gold, Andrade said: “Knowing that I gave Simone a bit of work is cool, right? She’s the best in the world, Simone is a phenomenon. We didn’t see it just here, but also in many competitions that she has done. I’m so proud of being able to compete by her side.”
Andrade will again go up against Biles in the coming days, with both set to feature in the vault final on Saturday, and the balance beam and floor exercise finals on Monday.
Andrade’s historic Olympic feats
With four Olympic medals now to her name, Andrade has the joint-second largest haul of any Brazilian athlete in the history of the Summer Games. Only the sailing duo Robert Scheidt and Torben Grael, who have five each, boast more Olympic medals.
In Tokyo three years ago, Andrade became the first female from Brazil to win an Olympic gymnastics medal when she came second in the all-around. She then went one better in the vault, clinching a historic gold.
And before picking up another silver today, the 25-year-old helped Brazil to win bronze in the women’s team all-around final on Tuesday - another first. The South American nation had never previously managed an Olympic medal in the women’s team competition.
Andrade’s achievements have come despite the immense disruption that injuries have caused to her career. She has suffered no fewer than three separate anterior-cruciate-ligament (ACL) tears, in 2015, 2017 and 2019.
“The gym looked like an amusement park”
Born in São Paulo in 1989, she was introduced to gymnastics when she joined a programme for children at a gym where her aunt worked.
“I was always active when I was a small child,” Andrade told the International Gymnastics Federation. “So, my aunt took me to the gym where she worked and I began doing gymnastics. It was amazing. The gym looked like an amusement park. I think that if it weren’t for that programme, they wouldn’t have spotted my talent and I would have just been a girl playing on the street.”
Rebeca Andrade’s remaining Olympics schedule:
Saturday, August 3:
Women’s vault final: 10:20 a.m. ET
Monday, August 5:
Women’s balance beam final: 6:35 a.m. ET
Women’s floor exercise final: 8:25 a.m. ET
How to watch the 2024 Olympics in the USA
TV viewers in the United States can watch the 2024 Paris Olympics on NBC Olympics, Telemundo, Universo and Peacock, as well as NBC sister channels including CNBC, E! and USA Network.