Rebeca Andrade gets 'goosebumps' looking at historic Olympic image from Paris 2024
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Rebeca Andrade, the Olympic gymnastics champion, has spoken of her pride in being part of a ‘historic moment’ – the Games’ first gymnastics podium to feature three black athletes.
The Brazilian gymnast is nominated for the Laureus World Comeback of the Year Award at the Laureus World Sports Awards after suffering three anterior cruciate ligament injuries during her career. Her comeback was captured in one of the images of the Games: Andrade on top of the podium, with Simone Biles and Jordan Chiles, silver and bronze medalists in the floor competition, bowing toward her.
“We are talking about me on an Olympic podium and it makes me really, really proud,” said Andrade, speaking in Madrid ahead of tomorrow evening’s Laureus World Sports Awards as part of a Laureus ‘Olympic Reflections’ event, with Nadia Comǎneci and Laureus World Sportsman of the Year Award Nominee Mondo Duplantis.
“That was a truly historic moment. We are on the podium as three black women, each with their own different stories.
“To look at my team and how emotional they were, to look at my flag being raised up, and to hear my anthem, it still gives me the goosebumps when I think about it. And it makes me really proud.”
“We are talking about me on an Olympic podium and it makes me really, really proud,” said Andrade, speaking in Madrid ahead of tomorrow evening’s Laureus World Sports Awards as part of a Laureus ‘Olympic Reflections’ event, with Nadia Comǎneci and Laureus World Sportsman of the Year Award Nominee Mondo Duplantis.
“That was a truly historic moment. We are on the podium as three black women, each with their own different stories.
“To look at my team and how emotional they were, to look at my flag being raised up, and to hear my anthem, it still gives me the goosebumps when I think about it. And it makes me really proud.”
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Andrade spoke alongside Olympic legend Comǎneci, who believes the podium bow should be repeated at future Games.
“That was an amazing, historic photo and I think it should become a trend of the podium,” said Comǎneci, winner of six gold medals and the first gymnast to be awarded a perfect 10.0 at the Olympics.
“It doesn't matter what country we're coming from. It's such a hard work to get to the point. To appreciate it like that shows an amazing respect, and I think we all should do that.”
Andrade also detailed her immense admiration for Biles, the most decorated gymnast in history. Both competed at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo before Biles withdrew from several events to prioritise her mental health, and both won gold in Paris.
“I’m at a loss for the word I would pick for her, maybe ‘warrior’,” said Andrade. “She is so courageous.
“To leave the Olympics is so difficult because you practice for that your whole life. I felt a lot of care for Simone at that moment. She is an amazing athlete and an amazing person - and she is still going strong.
“I like that I can train with her and compete against her, because she is a true inspiration for all athletes. I want to be competing against her for a long time, because I think we compete really well against each other.”
“That was an amazing, historic photo and I think it should become a trend of the podium,” said Comǎneci, winner of six gold medals and the first gymnast to be awarded a perfect 10.0 at the Olympics.
“It doesn't matter what country we're coming from. It's such a hard work to get to the point. To appreciate it like that shows an amazing respect, and I think we all should do that.”
Andrade also detailed her immense admiration for Biles, the most decorated gymnast in history. Both competed at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo before Biles withdrew from several events to prioritise her mental health, and both won gold in Paris.
“I’m at a loss for the word I would pick for her, maybe ‘warrior’,” said Andrade. “She is so courageous.
“To leave the Olympics is so difficult because you practice for that your whole life. I felt a lot of care for Simone at that moment. She is an amazing athlete and an amazing person - and she is still going strong.
“I like that I can train with her and compete against her, because she is a true inspiration for all athletes. I want to be competing against her for a long time, because I think we compete really well against each other.”
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Duplantis, the double Olympic gold medallist who has broken the pole vault world record 11 times, revealed he took inspiration from the gymnasts on stage with him.
“Meeting these two right here is so cool for me,’ said Duplantis, who is nominated for the Laureus World Sportsman of the Year Award.
“I do an acrobatic, gymnastic-y thing in pole vault. I would say there's a lot of base gymnastics work that you need in order to do my sport. So, I think chopping it up with the gymnasts is going to be really cool for me because I'm super-inspired by them. I think they are just amazing.
“They are so crazy, they are so talented and they are so good at what they do, and I understand how hard it is because I dabble sometimes, and I do a little bit of it but at a way, way, lower level than they do!”
“Meeting these two right here is so cool for me,’ said Duplantis, who is nominated for the Laureus World Sportsman of the Year Award.
“I do an acrobatic, gymnastic-y thing in pole vault. I would say there's a lot of base gymnastics work that you need in order to do my sport. So, I think chopping it up with the gymnasts is going to be really cool for me because I'm super-inspired by them. I think they are just amazing.
“They are so crazy, they are so talented and they are so good at what they do, and I understand how hard it is because I dabble sometimes, and I do a little bit of it but at a way, way, lower level than they do!”
