One of the most successful gymnasts of all time, Simone Biles has won countless medals and set world records with her incredible skills. Growing up in foster care, she found her calling through gymnastics at an early age. Her dedication led her to become the top gymnast in the United States and a superstar athlete known around the world.
Simone Biles Rising offers a revealing look into Biles’ life and rise to fame. As a Netflix documentary series, it provides intimate access to both her private world and high-pressure career in sports. Over four episodes, viewers are taken behind the scenes of Biles’ journey from her childhood beginnings in the gym to competing on the biggest stage at the Olympics. But her story is more than just success on the mat; it also touches on issues from mental health struggles to the abuse scandal in USA gymnastics.
Through interviews and never-before-seen footage, this documentary aims to offer viewers a comprehensive view of Biles both in and out of competition. It explores not only her skills and achievements but also the personal challenges she has faced along the way. By shining a light on Biles’ full experience, the series presents a multi-dimensional portrait of one of the greatest athletes of our time.
Simone’s Struggles in Tokyo
Going into the 2020 Olympics, Simone Biles had the world on her shoulders. After cementing her status as the world’s greatest gymnast, all eyes were on her spectacular performances in Tokyo. But things didn’t go as planned. Hit with a terrifying mental block known as “the twisties,” she shockingly withdrew from the competition midway through.
The twisties refer to a dangerous phenomenon where gymnasts lose their sense of space in the air. Simone explains how she simply couldn’t determine where her body was as she flipped and twisted. With her life and safety at stake from potentially miscalculating a landing, she made the gut-wrenching decision to sit out the remaining events. Though met with backlash, her withdrawal centered around prioritizing well-being over medals.
The series offers candid insight into Simone’s mental struggles in Japan. Distanced from loved ones and overwhelmed by expectations, her mind and body struggled under the immense pressure. Through raw interview clips, viewers see the confusion and shame she fought through in pulling out. We also learn that mental fatigue, not physical injury, was truly what brought her down after years at the top.
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More than any other part, this section examines how elite sports can negatively impact athletes. Simone’s story highlights the immense mental health challenges the best in the world silently face. By vulnerably lifting the curtain on her experiences, she helps drive important conversations around pressuring champions to their breaking point for the sake of competition. Ultimately, her choice in Tokyo centered herself when the world focused only on winning—an iconic moment forever changing how we look at athlete wellness.
Simone’s Journey to the Top
Part of what makes Simone’s story so incredible is where she came from. Growing up, she bounced around different homes, eventually finding stability with her grandparents, who adopted her. But it was a rough start, experiencing trauma in her early years.
When she discovered gymnastics, it became her saving grace. That’s where we start to see the making of a star—through the grueling training system at USA Gymnastics. Simone paints a picture of an intensely regimented program, borrowing terms like “very military” to describe it. From a young age, she was pushed beyond her limits physically to achieve at the highest level.
The series takes a critical look at how such demands affected the well-being of girls in the sport. We see how Simone’s success came at the cost of normalcy, navigating pain and exhaustion on a daily basis. It raises important questions about protecting athlete welfare that still linger today.
Yet through it all, Simone emerged as the indomitable champion we know her as. Her journey shines a light on both the shortcuts and character-building that took place on the road to greatness. While critics of the system have a case, it’s hard to deny it cultivated a once-in-a-lifetime star. Her rise from adversity makes her accomplishments all the more remarkable.
Simone’s Powerful Voice
No discussion of Simone’s journey is complete without addressing the dark clouds that hung over her sport. As the series explains, Larry Nassar abused his position for years, assaulting Biles and countless other gymnasts under the guise of medical treatment.
She openly shares the deep hurt of that betrayal and her role in exposing the truth. For Simone, coming forward publicly was an act of empowerment and solidarity with fellow survivors. Yet as the series shows, taking that courageous stand also opened her up to being re-traumatized during cross-examinations.
The documentary handles this sensitive issue with care. It lets Simone’s voice and experience take center stage, treating her advocacy as the powerful act of resilience that it is. At the same time, the shadows of such a dark chapter in her sport’s history are always there to acknowledge the trauma’s ongoing impacts.
Her willingness to remain vulnerable about such pain highlights Simone’s dedication to helping others. Even in the darkest of truths, she found a way to use her platform and turn a tide of injustice. It’s a testament to her character and all she continues to overcome.
Simone’s Impact Beyond the Mat
Not only was Biles a pioneer in terms of skill, but she also broke barriers as a Black woman in a predominantly white sport. The documentary takes time to explore how gymnastics was built upon certain standards of appearance that excluded those outside certain groups.
We learn of challenges Simone had to overcome to reach the top against this backdrop. From unfair criticism of her muscular frame to broader struggles for representation. But breaking those standards is exactly what she did, reaching heights never seen before from any gymnast.
The series is commendable for highlighting Simone’s role in expanding ideas of what top athletes can look like. By lifting up her story, viewers understand her successes in a fuller context—not just about athletic talent but overcoming societal biases too. She shattered prejudices while staying true to herself and her black identity.
Simone Biles inspired young girls everywhere to dream big, not confined to anyone else’s limitations. Her impact in and beyond her sport will surely help gymnastics embrace diversity and visual possibilities for decades to come.
Simone’s Triumphant Return
The later episodes in the series documented Simone’s journey back to the elite gymnastics stage. We see her diligent training in preparation for upcoming meets, now with a renewed perspective on balancing her sport with wellness. The Simone addressing the camera is profoundly happier within herself.
It’s amazing to witness her transformation from the aftermath of Tokyo, where she discusses possibly retiring, to regain her footing. The resilience of the human spirit shines through as she approaches competition with cautious optimism rather than oppressive expectations.
Biles’ story sends an enormously positive message. By demonstrating how prioritizing mental fitness powered her comeback, she sets an example for all athletes to avoid burning out. She also reassures anyone facing challenges that they have the strength to find equilibrium again.
Going forward to Paris 2024, Simone wants simply to enjoy the experience rather than carry the weight of a nation. Although the skill that made her a pioneer ensures she remains “one to beat,” her courage in redefining success may impact sports for years to come.
Simone’s Legacy of Truth and Triumph
Through its intimate glimpses of Simone’s world, this series tells a powerful story of truth, adversity, talent, and resilience. It walks viewers through her rise to stardom alongside deeper personal battles brought to light with disarming honesty.
We witness the cost of relentless pursuit of excellence and systemic failures that exploited young girls. But we also see one athlete’s inspiring refusal to let pain silence her voice or shame deter further growth. By humanizing lived experiences too often reduced to medals, Simone lifted others with her open heart.
The issues underlying Simone’s journey strike at the core of what sport can be—an arena where mental and physical well-being go hand in hand. Her renewed passion shows how prioritizing whole-person care drives renewed greatness. This sends a message with impact far beyond foam mats.
For anyone seeking insight into top-tier achievement, advocacy in the face of injustice, or simply the resilience of the human spirit, Simone’s story enlightens and uplifts. Her legacy will surely encourage more compassion within athletic circles and beyond for many years to come.
The Review
Simone Biles Rising
Simone Biles: Rising offers an intimate look into the remarkable life of the greatest gymnast of all time. Beyond showcasing Biles' incredible talents, the series shines a light on issues too often swept under the rug. With unflinching honesty and empathy, it inspires by illustrating both the sacrifices demanded and humanity found through overcoming adversity. Biles' story, and this documentary's telling of it, will continue encouraging others to pursue excellence while prioritizing well-being—lessons with an impact far greater than medals or records alone.
PROS
- Provided unprecedented behind-the-scenes access into Simone Biles' life and career journeys.
- Powerful story of overcoming adversity on and off the mat through adversity
- Inspirational depiction of mental health advocacy and finding balance
- Strong focus on issues of race, gender, and abuse that broader sports communities must address
- Masterful blend of sport, biography, and social commentary into a compelling multi-part film
CONS
- Fewer Tokyo performance clips could have enhanced understanding of her 'twisties' mental block.
- Some subjects, like the Nassar scandal, brushed over due perhaps to sensitivity or scope.
- Biles a singular talent; harder to generalize all lessons to other athletes or contexts
