In Netflix’s Powerful ‘Simone Biles Rising,’ the Gymnast Gets Candid About Pulling Out of the Tokyo Olympics
During the Tokyo Olympics — held in 2021 rather than 2020 because of the pandemic — Simone Biles, the most decorated gymnast of all time, pulled out of the competition at the last minute. Leading up to the games, all eyes were on the U.S. Women’s Gymnastics team, and Biles’ exit caused a frenzy of vitriol across the globe, especially since there was speculation it would be her final Olympics. But if you’ve followed the gymnast’s career, it’s clear she’s always done the unexpected, and as the 2024 Paris Olympics approach, Biles welcomes viewers into her world. In Netflix’s “Simone Biles Rising,” the world champion reflects on the trajectory of her stunning career, what happened in Tokyo and why she’s chosen to return to the world stage. Helmed by director Katie Walsh, the four-part docuseries is an elegantly paced and vulnerable account that infuses the history of gymnastics with Biles’ personal legacy– which has been hard-won but mesmerizing to watch.
The series opens at the start of the Tokyo Olympics. The 27-year-old recalls the expectations leading up to the Olympic Games and how she knew something wasn’t quite right before even landing in Japan. From this point, the show moves back and forth in time leading up to Paris. Viewers see everything from shocking footage of Biles getting lost in the air while experiencing the “twisties” — the dangerous condition that caused her to withdraw from the competition — to childhood home video as she and her sister, Adria, recall being in foster care before being adopted.
The series is engaging and worthwhile, as the audience watches Biles rebuild her confidence in the gym. The docuseries also outlines the importance of Biles’ career in the sport historically. Black women reigning in gymnastics is still a relatively new phenomenon. Though Biles now dominates the sport, she stands on the shoulders of Gabby Douglas, Dominique Dawes and Betty Okino. The toxic culture ingrained in the sport is explored in “Rising,” but Biles, Dawes and Okino also discuss the ostracization they’ve felt as Black women whose hair textures and body types often differ from their teammates. In one shocking segment, Okino recalls having the bones of her naturally flat feet being pushed in by her coaches.
Episode 1, “Write Me Down in History” highlights the constant misogynoir Black women in public domains face overall. Though there was lots of chatter when Biles backed out of Tokyo, the loudest critics were middle-aged men berating the gymnast for choosing to put her health and safety first. Though Biles spoke to the media about her mental health struggles at the time, and remained on the sidelines to support her teammates, her sportsmanship was overlooked, and she was vilified since she was unable to “perform.” This segment is especially horrifying, because the abusive practices of USA Gymnastics and the prosecution of sexual predator Larry Nassar were well-known by 2021. Biles has also been open about being a survivor of Nassar’s horrendous abuses. “Simone Biles Rising” showcases clearly how becoming a symbol can strip someone of their humanity.
“Simone Biles Rising” plays like three years’ worth of Biles’ diary entries, as she expresses her truth and reclaims her voice. Homemade videos and on-camera interviews are woven throughout, as Biles speaks candidly about both the most beautiful and devastating moments of her life. Her vibrant personality shines when she talks about the love of her sport, spends time with her husband, NFL player Jonathan Owens, or sits as her mom braids her hair before competitions.
