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Topics: Olympics, Reddit, Simone Biles, Social Media, Sport, Twitter
Poppy Bilderbeck
Topics: Olympics, Reddit, Simone Biles, Social Media, Sport, Twitter
Simone Biles and Jordan Chiles' reaction to Rebeca Andrade winning gold has been praised online for being a true show of sportsmanship.
Today (August 5), USA's Simone Biles, Jordan Chiles and Brazil’s Rebeca Andrade competed in the women's artistic gymnastics floor final at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Chiles took home a bronze medal, Biles silver and Andrade took home gold and the runner-ups have received an outpouring of applause online for their response to Andrade earning the top spot.
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As the trio stood on the podium having collected their medals, Chiles and Biles knelt down and turned to face Andrade, placing their hands out in front of them.
Andrade raised her hands in the air as her fellow gymnasts knelt at her legs, all athletes absolutely beaming - Chiles and Biles celebrating not only their medals but really emphasizing Andrade's achievement too.
And it's not taken long for viewers to flock to social media to weigh in.
One Twitter user said: "The bow Jordan Chiles and Simone Biles just did for Rebecca. I can’t stop crying. This is peak Black girlhood."
"SPORTSMANSHIP! Simone Biles and Jordan Chiles bow to Rebeca Andrade as she's named Olympic champion in the floor exercise," another added.
A third wrote: "The moment Simone Biles and Jordan Chiles bows down to Rebeca Andrade was just SISTERHOOD. Females supporting females, PERDIOT."
At just 25 years old, Andrade is the most decorated Brazilian gymnast of all time, having won a total of six Olympic and nine World medals.
The 2024 Olympics has also seen her win a silver medal in the Women's Artistic Individual All-Around, another silver medal in the Women's Vault·Artistic gymnastics and a bronze medal in the Women's Artistic Team All-Around.
After Biles received gold in the women's all-round finals, she said of her fellow athlete during a press conference: "I don’t want to compete with Rebeca anymore! I’m tired. She’s very close to me - I’ve never had an athlete so close.
"This definitely kept me alert and brought out the best athlete in me. So I’m excited and proud to compete with her [...] I’ve never been so stressed before. Thank you, Rebeca."
After coming in second place to Andrade in the women's artistic gymnastics finals earlier today, Biles resolved, as quoted by Today: "I have so much respect for her. She's such a good competitor. She keeps me on my toes. It’s an honor to get to compete with her."