Gymnastics sensations Simone Biles and Jordan Chiles bowed down to their Brazilian competitor Rebeca Andrade, who secured her second gold medal at the Olympics, in a scene that went viral and warmed many people’s hearts.
The American colleagues faced Andrade on the podium, achieving silver and bronze, then bowed low in support of the 25-year-old as she lifted her arms on the top of the steps at Bercy Arena on Monday.
Not only was the performance a magnificent display of graciousness, but it was also historic since it marked the first time in Olympic history that a group of black gymnasts were lined up on the podium. In other words, Andrade, Biles and Chiles became the first all-Black gymnastics podium — men or women — in Olympic history.
This is a win for the decades-long event where Black gymnasts, especially Black women, have faced significant barriers and underrepresentation in the sport. Generally, sports where Black people have been well represented have been accessible through schools, including football, track and field, and basketball. But gymnastics is very expensive and it also comes with enormous training hours, discouraging Blacks from getting involved in the sport.
Although it took some time, Black women still made their mark in gymnastics. For instance, Dominique Dawes became the first African-American woman to win an individual gold medal at the Olympics (1996 Atlanta Olympics). Dawes and Dominique Moceanu were members of the “Magnificent Seven” U.S. women’s gymnastics team at the 1996 Olympics, marking the first time the U.S. women’s gymnastics team had any racial diversity, and Gabby Douglas became the first African-American woman to win the Olympic all-around title in 2012.
Biles explained after the event on Monday, “First, it was an all-Black podium, so that was super exciting for us. But then Jordan was like, ‘Should we bow to her?’ And I was like, ‘absolutely’ — it was just the right thing to do.”
“She’s so amazing. She’s queen,” Biles said of Andrade, according to ESPN. “She’s such an excitement to watch — all the fans in the crowd always cheering for her.”
Chiles, an exceptional gymnastics athlete from the United States who won her third Olympic medal overall, reiterated Biles’ remarks by stating that Andrade is “a legend herself.”
She stated, “In that moment, I was like, ‘You know what? First off — yes, it was an all-Black podium.’ Second off, ‘Why don’t we just give her her flowers?’ Not only has she given Simone her flowers, but a lot of us in the United States our flowers as well. So, giving it back, is what makes it so beautiful. … I felt like it was needed.”
Brazil’s Andrade proved to be an impressive opponent at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, winning four medals, including the gold in the floor final, to defeat Biles, the most decorated gymnast who received a silver medal, according to NBC4.
Andrade, who made history as the most decorated Brazilian athlete of all time, took home bronze in the team event and two silver medals in vault and all-around. She already has gold from vault in Tokyo.
Far from the bow being part of a historic moment, it was just beautiful to see the bonding of three Black women who understood that winning isn’t only about being the first but being the best and acknowledging that on a global platform is a step in the right direction.
This year’s Olympics was filled with controversies, but moments like these restore our faith in humanity.
We hope that more Black athletes will follow suit in this pioneering moment.
