The 2023 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Antwerp, Belgium, marked a triumphant return for Simone Biles. After a two-year hiatus, all eyes were on Biles as she stepped onto the global stage once again. Her performance was nothing short of legendary, as she secured her 23rd World Championship gold, solidifying her status as the most decorated female gymnast in history. But that’s not all.
Simone Biles claimed her sixth all-around title and even introduced her fifth element to the FIG Code of Points. However, despite her blazing achievements, a moment of shock occurred when she was surpassed in the Vault finals by Brazilian phenom Rebeca Andrade. With the Paris Olympics on the horizon, fans are eagerly anticipating another showdown between Simone Biles and Rebeca Andrade, leaving them in a frenzy of excitement and anticipation.
Simone Biles and Rebeca Andrade’s heartwarming rivalry
On the r/Gymnastics subreddit, a user named ‘freifraufischer’ shared a heartwarming moment captured during the 2023 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Antwerp, Belgium. The post featured a photo of Simone Biles congratulating Rebeca Andrade, highlighting Andrade’s eagerness for an Olympic gymnastics showdown with Biles. The moment was Andrade’s victory in the vault event, where she edged out Biles, who faced a fall, to win her second world title in the vault.
The Brazilian earned 14.750 for the gold, while Simone took the silver with a score of 14.549. Andrade, the Tokyo 2020 Olympic champion on the vault, secured her first World title in the event in 2021, elevating Brazil’s name in the world of gymnastics. She is the first Brazilian female gymnast to medal at an Olympic Games and only the second Brazilian woman to win a gold medal at the World Artistic Gymnastics Championships.
An article shared in the post from Yahoo! Sport highlighted Andrade’s preparation for the Paris Olympics. Ahead of her journey to Paris, Andrade expressed her respect for Biles, saying, “It’s about doing my best. And I hope she (Biles) does too, that she does her best, because it’s an honour to be able to compete alongside her.”
In an iconic gesture, before they could be handed their medals, Biles removed her crown and placed it atop Andrade’s head, symbolizing the passing of the torch. With this post, fans were left in a frenzy as the two athletes gear up for Paris.
How the gymternet reacted to this future battle
Countless fans eagerly shared their thoughts below the post, expressing their anticipation for the return of these gymnastic queens, Simone Biles and Rebeca Andrade, in the Olympic year 2024. One eager fan shared their excitement, saying, “Can’t wait to see them compete 😍 also that red leo is one of my faves the US has had recently!!” Another fan pondered, “You know how the word “frenemies” exists? I want a word for such a friendly rivalry like this, where both people compete against each other and want to win but also clearly have so much love and respect for one another.”
