Gymnastics legend Simone Biles has once again solidified her place in history, earning her fourth Laureus Sportswoman of the Year Award following a triumphant return to Olympic competition in Paris 2024, where she clinched three gold medals and a silver.
The 28-year-old American icon was honored at this year’s Laureus Awards in Madrid, where she also praised her longtime rival-turned-friend, Brazilian gymnast Rebeca Andrade, for pushing the boundaries of the sport.
“I feel like we’ve pushed the sport forward in difficulty so much,” Biles told CNN Sports. “Our friendship, our camaraderie out there and our difficulty has been super exciting to see because we’re doing things that the gymnastics community never thought they’d ever see.”
Their rivalry reached a fever pitch at the Paris Games, where Andrade claimed four medals – a gold, two silvers, and a bronze – earning her the Laureus Comeback of the Year Award. Her journey to the podium was nothing short of remarkable, having overcome three ACL tears between 2015 and 2019 that once had her questioning whether she’d continue in the sport at all.
Her comeback was immortalized in one of the most unforgettable images of the Paris Olympics: Biles and U.S. teammate Jordan Chiles bowing to Andrade on the podium in admiration.
“We just love competing with Rebeca and win or lose it’s always with grace,” Biles said. “It just felt right in that moment to do that to Rebeca, just because she is such a legend in gymnastics.”
