The 2024 Olympics brought many things: patriotism, unity and anticipation. It also brought stories of inspiration, perseverance and determination, especially in women’s gymnastics.
After her widely publicized struggle with “the twisties” at the 2020 Tokyo Games, held in 2022, Simone Biles made her return to the sport this summer. The twisties, a mental block that disrupts a gymnast’s spatial awareness, forced Biles to withdraw from several events, igniting a much-needed global conversation about mental health in sports.
While she received intense backlash for her decision, Biles broke barriers, teaching the next generation of sports to prioritize mental health.
In this year’s 2024 Paris Olympics, Biles won gold in the team event, women’s artistic all-around and vault, as well as silver in the women’s floor category.
Biles wasn’t the only one who showcased their resilience. In the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, Sunisa “Suni” Lee from Team USA became the first Hmong American to win a gold medal in the all-around event. However, within the last 15 months, it was revealed that the star gymnast had been dealing with a serious kidney condition that not only threatened her athletic career but also posed significant health risks.
Her decision to push through these challenges reflects a deep commitment to the sport and her desire to inspire others. Lee has often spoken about the pressure of living up to expectations after her success in Tokyo.
“But it’s just hard mentally because I was in a really good spot last Olympics getting ready,” she said in an interview with USA Today. “So now it’s just kind of hard switching that mental aspect of it”.
This summer, Lee won gold in the team event and bronze in the all-around and uneven bars.
In addition, Rebeca Andrade of Brazil has become an inspiring athlete, especially for those from underrepresented communities. Growing up in a low-income family, she faced numerous challenges throughout her gymnastics career, including limited access to training facilities and resources. Despite these obstacles, Andrade’s talent and determination were evident from a young age.
She began gymnastics at the age of four and quickly rose through the ranks, eventually catching the attention of Brazil’s national coaches. However, Andrade’s mother couldn’t afford the bus fare, so Andrade would walk two hours to the training gym.
Astoundingly, Andrade has also had three ACL surgeries, each time facing a long and arduous recovery process. Regardless, she bounced back each time, stating in an interview, “I’ve overcome a lot of things, and each time I overcame something tough, I was more determined to come back,”
Her breakthrough came at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, where she made history by winning the gold medal on the vault, along with a silver medal in the all-around competition. This victory was monumental not only for Andrade but also for Brazil.
Rebecca Andrade’s journey did not stop at Tokyo. At this year’s 2024 Paris Olympics, she won gold in the floor exercise, silver medal in the all-around competition, silver medal in the vault and led the Brazilian team to a historic bronze medal in the team event.
These stories, along with others from various events at the 2024 Olympics, highlight the incredible tenacity and spirit of the athletes, making them role models both within and beyond the realm of sports.
