Rebeca Andrade finished her journey at the 2024 Paris Olympics beating Simone Biles in the artistic gymnastics women’s floor exercise final on Monday. The Brazilian athlete, who Biles has been “stressing” about, has shared the podium with the American gymnast many times throughout the season, going head-to-head for the gold medal in sparkling leotards.
Andrade’s leotards were designed by Jade Barbosa, another gymnast from Team Brazil who is a four-time Olympian and a two-time individual bronze medalist at the World Championships. Barbosa, who has been part of Team Brazil since 2008, has designed leotards in partnership with Ozone Leotards, a company from Knoxville, Tenn., since 2018.
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At the Paris Olympics, Andrade debuted with Team Brazil in the women’s qualification on July 28. She wore a black leotard with a patriotic twist, featuring green, blue and yellow to present the colors of the Brazilian flag.
In the artistic gymnastics women’s team final on July 30, Andrade won her first medal of the competition, getting bronze with her teammates. She wore a dark blue leotard that was covered in yellow-gold crystals.
For the women’s all-around final, where Andrade won silver and Biles scored another gold medal, the Brazilian star brightened up the competition in a yellow version of her leotards.
After the women’s all-around final, Biles said she doesn’t want to compete with Andrade “no more.” “I’ve never had an athlete that close, so it definitely put me on my toes and brought out the best athlete in myself,” she told reporters at the Olympics. I’m getting uncomfortable, guys. I don’t like that feeling — I was stressing.”
Andrade and Biles faced each other one more time in the women’s vault final on Aug. 3. Keeping it patriotic, Andrade won silver in a white leotard embellished with blue crystals. Biles finished it in first.
In the women’s balance beam final on Monday, both Biles and Andrade were out of the top three. However, hours later, they went head to head in the women’s floor exercise final competition, where Andrade beat Biles for the first time, winning the gold medal. Andrade sported a teal leotard with silver crystals throughout.
Simone Biles referred to Rebeca Andrade as the athlete “she fears the most” in her 2024 documentary “Simone Biles Rising.” The athletes have expressed their admiration for each other many times before.
The women’s artistic gymnastics competitions ended on Monday. The Paris Olympics will officially end on Sunday.
