By Mary Mason Ingold

When I think of Olympics sports, a certain one comes to mind: gymnastics. Deemed one of the hardest sports, people from all over the world tune in to watch young athletes do twists and tricks, flipping around and defying the laws of physics. More specifically, the media has become obsessed with one gymnast in particular. 

Simone Biles reclaims gold for her team in the 2024 Paris Olympics. Photo credit: @simonebiles on Instagram.

The GOAT, American gymnast Simone Biles, returned for her third Olympics in an attempt to come back from setbacks in previous competitions. In 2021, Biles experienced a case of the twisties, causing her to almost injure herself. She remarked that she had a gut intuition that something would go wrong, claiming that, “you can just feel it in your head,” and so she pulled out of the 2020 Olympic Games early. The pressure of being the best got under her skin, and in her two-part 2024 Netflix documentary Simone Biles Rising, she stated that it was too much to live up to mentally and physically. However, with reflection, emotionally maturity, and working on herself, she had a successful third Olympics this summer in Paris.

During the team final, she competed on the uneven bars, balance beam, floor, and vault, and won gold next to her teammate Suni Lee, who placed third in the all-around category. 

The USA womens team celebrates their win in the team final at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Photo credit: @simonebiles on Instagram.

With the help of her teammates, Biles led her team to victory, finishing the competition with a winning vault, contrary to her last Olympics. Overall, the women’s USA gymnastics team returned home with a world-best total of ten medals, with seven won by Biles.

The level of success America has had in gymnastics has been very impressive, as they have placed either silver or gold in the past decade for the Olympic Team Finals. Despite their dominance, some people are worried the US has become a lazy competitor. Former Olympic alternate McKayla Skinner reacted to the team win, commenting that “the girls just don’t have the work ethic,” along with other remarks. Because of her criticism of the gymnasts, the USA Gymnastics Association blocked her on all social media platforms.

Aside from legends such as Biles, new gymnasts rose to stardom during the Paris Games.

Brazilian gymnast Rebecca Andrade salutes the judges after a nearly perfect routine. Photo credit: @rebecarandrade on Instagram.

Rebecca Andrade stepped up for Brazil and made quite a name for herself this year. Previously, she tore her achilles three times. Most gymnasts retire after a single injury, but her resilience has become an inspirational story for all athletes. After years of diligence, training, and recovery, she achieved her dreams of becoming not just an Olympian, but a champion. 

She often was compared to Biles and even beat her in the floor final, leaving Biles with a silver medal and fellow American Jordan Chiles with bronze. Biles even stated herself that Andrade was the only athlete who intimidated her in the entire competition, claiming that she’s never been more stressed. 

Andrade is a strong all-around contender, with explosive tumbling skills and solid technical elements that judges appreciate. Is it possible we have another legendary athlete on our hands? Some people have gone on to say she has “dethroned” the GOAT, but time will truly tell in the following years.

Another upcoming star is Stephen Nedoroscik, a member of the men’s US Olympic gymnastics team. He most famously carried his team, placing bronze in the pommel horse event. His Olympic performance attracted a new audience, not just because of his athleticism, but because of his personality. He was known for being the nerd of the team, and spectators appreciated his “endearing personality and nerdy tendencies.” He is able to solve a Rubik’s Cube within a minute and has become so popular that he was invited to be a guest on Dancing with the Stars. He is currently in the competition, and hopes to take home the Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy.

Nedoroscik holds up the US flag to celebrate his victory on the pommel horse. Photo credit: @stephen_nedoroscik via Instagram. 

Aside from these notable mentions, the Olympics was not just enjoyable for the athletes but the spectators as well. Collegiate student Ellie Blackwood (’27) attended the 2024 Olympics and discussed her experience with The Match. She described her view of the Eiffel Tower shimmering in the moonlight, the perfect background for a sports match.

According to Blackwood, the energy in the stands during events was electric, and she remarked that everyone was waving their homeland flags with pride. When asked what the difference was between seeing the Olympics live versus on television, she said that everything was so much larger in person, and the athletes were moving faster, stronger, and higher than she would have ever predicted on a tv. Everyone was living in the moment, and she states that “you could tell everyone wanted to be there.” 

Blackwood’s view from an Olympic arena. Photo credit: Ellie Blackwood.

Olympians from previous events came to support other teammates in various matches and games. It was a wholesome opportunity to be able to support such successful athletes from different backgrounds. Blackwood even witnessed celebrities attending events, such as Travis Scott, who watched basketball. In gymnastics, special guests such as the cast of Wicked and Snoop Dogg were spectators. 

Overall, the Paris 2024 Games were a hit, specifically in the gymnastics world. Biles rose back to the top, bringing her team to victory, along with new athletes gaining a stronger spotlight. Viewership was up, averaging 30.6 million viewers worldwide per day, and the 2028 Games in Los Angeles have much to live up to.