Then the pair, as a part of a podium of all Black women, decided to show respect to the new floor champion, who now has two Olympic gold medals and six overall: They bowed down to Andrade on the podium during the medal ceremony in a moving moment of reverence for Andrade and for the sport of gymnastics.
“Rebeca, she's so amazing, she's queen,” Biles said.
Simone Biles and Jordan Chiles bow to floor exercise gold medalist Rebeca Andrade of Brazil at the podium. Jack Gruber, Jack Gruber-USA TODAY Sports
After Andrade won gold, Brazilian fans in the crowd erupted into cheers, chanting her name just before the medal was draped around her neck. Biles and Chiles said they had a quick confab about how they wanted to honor the gold medal winner, Chiles suggesting the bow, and decided they shouldn’t wait — that the podium was the place they should recognize her.
“It was just the right thing to do,” Biles said.
“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,” Chiles said. “So giving it back is what makes it so beautiful. So I felt like it was needed."
Andrade, who won gold on vault in Tokyo and led Brazil to bronze in the team final in Paris, has suffered three ACL tears in her career, but put Biles under more pressure than she’s ever been under in the all-around final here, ultimately taking silver.
“I don’t want to compete with Rebeca no more. I’m tired!” Biles joked after the all-around final. “It’s way too close. … It definitely put me on my toes, and it brought out the best athlete in myself. So I’m excited and proud to compete with her but uh, uh, uh. I don’t like it!”
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