Gymnastics

Simone Biles, Rebeca Andrade share powerful sideline moment after close battle for women's gymnastics gold

Biles' teammate, Sunisa Lee, the gold medal defending champion from last year, also made the podium

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Team USA took two more medals Thursday after Simone Biles won gold and Suni Lee took bronze in the women’s individual all-around.

Simone Biles and Rebeca Andrade were in a tight battle for gold, but before even finding out which one of them won the women's gymnastics all-around individual final, Andrade walked over to Biles on the sidelines.

In a powerful display of sportsmanship, the two competitors hugged each other, both congratulating the other on a well-fought battle.

Winner US' Simone Biles (L) hugs second-placed Brazil's Rebeca Andrade at the end of the artistic gymnastics women's all around final of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games at the Bercy Arena in Paris, on August 1, 2024. (Photo by Loic VENANCE / AFP) (Photo by LOIC VENANCE/AFP via Getty Images)

In the end, it was Biles who took home the gold medal and Andrade nabbed silver.

“Simone is the best, and she brings out the best of me,” Andrade said after the competition.

Here are five things you should know about Brazilian gymnast Rebeca Andrade.

Biles and Andrade traded leads over the course of the competition.

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The 25-year-old Brazilian surged past Biles midway through the all-around finals at raucous Bercy Arena and had the opportunity to produce the biggest upset of the Games so far after Biles botched a transition on uneven bars.

But Biles fought back. She turned in a great beam routine and was amazing on the floor exercise to turn things around as she claimed a second gold in the competition, eight years after her triumph in Rio de Janeiro.

Biles stunned with her exceptional showing and narrowly edged out Andrade, who ended with a final score of 57.932. Biles finished with 59.131 after a whopping 15.066 score on floor. (Watch it below)

The crowd exploded after watching Simone Biles’ electric floor routine in her final rotation to secure the all-around gold medal.

Biles' teammate, Sunisa Lee, the gold medal defending champion from last year, also made the podium in the third spot with a score of 56.465.

Lee's appearance in the event already secured her spot in history as it marked the first time two all-around gold medalists competed against each other in the all-around final.

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