Simone Biles reveals surprise reason why Paris all-around final was her most stressful competition EVER – despite winning another gymnastics gold!
Simone Biles said her Olympic gold medal in the all-around final on Thursday was her most stressful – because of pressure from rival Rebeca Andrade.
After completing a less-than-perfect routine on the asymmetric beam, Biles appeared nervous as Brazil’s Andrade performed her routines perfectly in her bright yellow, sparkly leotard, leaving her just 0.166 points behind Biles on the final routine.
The 27-year-old Biles still won, but after winning her sixth Olympic gold medal, she told reporters she never wanted to compete with Andrade again.
“I don’t want to compete with Rebeca anymore. I’m tired,” Biles jokingly told reporters.
“She’s way too close. I’ve never had an athlete that close before, so it definitely put me on the edge of my seat and it brought out the best athlete in me.
Simone Biles said her gold medal at Thursday’s Olympics was her most stressful yet
And Biles explained that it was all due to the pressure Rebeca Andrade (left) put on her
“So I’m excited and proud to compete with her, but I get uncomfortable guys. I don’t like that feeling. I was stressed.”
Her American teammate and bronze medalist Sunisa Lee agreed: “I swear I’ve never seen you so stressed!”
Andrade, meanwhile, said she was proud to have gotten so close to Biles.
She was captured by television cameras with a beaming smile as Biles held her final pose and nearly completed her gold medal, beating Andrade to silver.
“I was very proud of her, it was amazing,” Andrade said. “I was very, very happy.
“Also because I had a really good competition, and I was proud of myself. So it was a smile of joy for her, a smile of joy for me, because I did my best.”
But despite what Biles said on Thursday, the two will meet again in Paris.
They will both compete in the vault, beam and floor finals on August 3 and 5.