‘Simone Biles Rising’ Takes Home Two Critics Choice Awards

The limited series has reached the top of the charts—and now earned several accolades, too.

Where Simone Biles was concerned, fans had high expectations for the 2024 Paris Olympics. The world waited with bated breath to see how the 27-year-old would perform in her return to the international stage. Almost everyone knew the story of the Tokyo Games. Days into the competition, the athlete had to withdraw from the competition with a case of the “twisties.” In the years after, she took a break from competitive gymnastics. But 2024 marked her return to the mat—and an impressive return it was.

Her impressive success in competition ahead of the Olympic trials was only one piece of the hype surrounding Biles’s name. As the Olympic competition approached, expectations for her comeback only intensified with the release of part one of her Netflix documentary, Simone Biles Rising.

The first two episodes of the limited series came out in mid-July, just weeks after Biles had cemented her spot on the 2024 Olympic roster. And the release really couldn’t have come at a better time. In the first part, the gymnast reflected on her experience in Tokyo, the pressure she faced then (and continued to face in the lead-up to Paris) and how her past experiences were shaping her approach to the future.

In other words, it was the perfect set-up for what ended up being a perfectly executed comeback. Biles (and the producers) couldn’t have known as much when the documentary was released. But her outstanding performance in Paris (which resulted in three gold medals and one silver) really drove home the message in part one of the documentary—a message of setbacks, perseverance and, ultimately, comebacks.

Part two, which was released only a few weeks ago, doubled down on that message. It took a closer look at Biles’s preparation for the Paris Games, in particular, and her ambitions for her return to the international stage.

In the weeks since the release, Simone Biles Rising has quickly become a crowd favorite—for all of the reasons mentioned above and more. But we’re not simply referring to its ability to reach second place in Netflix’s Top 10 rankings. We’re likewise referring to its latest feat: taking home not one, but two awards at the Critics Choice Documentary Awards on Nov. 10.

At the ninth annual ceremony, the documentary earned the awards for both Best Sports Documentary and Best Limited Documentary Series, cementing it as one of the foremost documentaries of the moment. More than anything, though, the achievement only reinforced the fact that Biles is an inspiration.

Simone Biles & Jonathan OwensDate Night Kiss… At Chicago Bulls Game

5 adorable photos of Simone Biles and Jonathan Owens sitting courtside at a Timberwolves-Bulls game

Following a historic run at the 2024 Paris Olympics, gymnast Simone Biles is living her best life.

Simone spent some well-deserved quality time with her husband, Bears safety Jonathan Owens. The pair attended a Timberwolves-Bulls game Thursday at the United Center. Chicago unfortunately lost, but that didn’t stop the couple from having a good time.

The Bulls’ mascot, Benny the Bull, presented them with some awesome custom jerseys and dope oversized bull chains. ( Stop it. This is TOO wholesome.) Thankfully, some genius photographers also captured several adorable photos of Simone and Jonathan canoodling during the game.

Here are five lovely photos of the GOAT and her hubby sitting courtside:

Simone Biles Becomes Coach Cecile Landi’s Way to Earn Special Honor From USA Gymnastics

Simone Biles has carved her path to the legendary G.O.A.T. status. But the Landis definitely helped the 27-year-old make the steep climb. Cecile Canqueteau-Landi and Laurent Landi were looking for a new beginning in 2017, and as luck would have it, so was the gymnast. When she needed new coaches and guidance the most, Cecile stepped forward, and like they say, the rest is history.

Landi was more than just a coach to the Olympian. She was more like family. After a harrowing experience at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, the 27-year-old decided to step away from the sport. But once she was ready to return to the mat, Biles knew her coach would have her back. It is that support, understanding, and determination that many witnessed at the Bercy Arena. Cecile Landi and the 27-year-old make a power-packed duo. But as the dust settled on the Paris Games, Landi received a sweet surprise. Any guesses on what it could be?

A heartwarming surprise

Simone Biles Makes Bold Demand of President Joe Biden After 2024 Election

The Olympic gymnast shared a stern message in response to the election results.

After Olympic gold medalist Simone Biles learned that Donald Trump won the 2024 presidential election, she penned a stern request to the current president, Joe Biden.

The 27-year-old shared her thoughts on Nov. 6–one day after the race for president ended–in a succinct yet serious message she posted on X (formerly Twitter). “Mr Biden, I need you to stand up, straighten your back and make some things shake before your departure,” she wrote before signing it, “xoxo the women in america 💙.”

Biles’ post has received almost 500,000 likes, along with tens of thousands of retweets and replies, as of writing.

The statement led to a divisive response from fans online. Some supporters emphasized Biles’ point, writing things like, “the queen has spoken and she’s right!” and “The Goat has spoken. Make it happen, Joe.” But there were also a fair share of people who voiced their disagreement with her statement.

Biles represented the United States earlier this year as part of the Olympic gymnastics team, competing in the international games in Paris, France. By the end of the competition, she added three gold medals and one silver medal to her impressive collection.

With worldwide recognition, the talented athlete has used her platform to voice her opinions and beliefs a lot over the years. During the 2024 Paris Olympics, she spoke out about people criticizing her hair while competing and those who didn’t agree with her bowing to a competitor.

Simone Biles’s Deep Red Bubble Skirt Dress Is Our Favorite Take on the Trending Style Yet

The athlete sported the chic number at the Friends of the Children 30th Anniversary Gala.

Simone Biles may not be in the thick of gymnastics season or training for the Olympics anymore, but the star gymnast is still managing to keep busy. Between traveling around the country for Athleta’s Gold Over America Tour, making pitstops at her husband Jonathan Owen’s NFL games and various red carpet engagements (the premiere of Simone Biles Rising: Part Two included), the star athlete is keeping busy.

Biles isn’t just making half-hearted appearances at each of these engagements, either. She’s putting her best foot forward each and every time. Take her stop at the Friends of the Children 30th Anniversary Gala, for example. The 27-year-old showed up to the charity event, where she was honored as a “Champion for Children” in her absolute best style—and a fantastic take on a current trend.

For the occasion, she wore a deep red strapless mini dress, featuring a corset-style bodice and a satin bubble skirt. She paired the sweet number with clear high heels and a stack of shimmery diamond necklaces. It was an impeccable show of style from Biles—and one of our favorite examples of the lately trending bubble skirt style.

For Biles, the night was, of course, about much more than an eye-catching red carpet appearance, though. Friends of the Children is an organization dedicated to connecting children in challenging situations to adult mentors, who are there to support them long-term. Being honored as a “Champion for Children” was meaningful to the gymnast for a variety of reasons—but particularly because she can sympathize with the challenges that these children face.

“I’ve always wondered what my legacy would be, what I could do to give back…and then I found Friends of the Children,” Biles said at the gala. “There was an instant connection because I’ve gone through what these kids have gone through. I’ve grown through what these kids are going to grow through. I can see myself in these kids who just need someone who believes in them and that’s exactly what Friends of the Children does.”

Where her legacy is concerned, we never had any doubt that Biles’s would be a meaningful one. Inside the gym, she has established herself as the picture of hard work and determination—and, perhaps most importantly, a champion of mental health advocacy. Outside of the gym, she is giving her time to organizations seeking to make a difference, and, in turn, making a difference herself. This latest honor is only a further testament to that.

Shrugging Off Simone Biles’ ‘Quitter’ Tag, 3x Olympian Lauds Gymnastics GOAT’s Mental Health Struggle: ‘So Proud’

The ‘Awesome Dawesome’ is herself awestruck by the gymnastics GOAT Simone Biles. Dominique Dawes was one of the iconic gymnasts of her time. She was a member of the famous ‘Magnificent Seven’ team that won the gold in 1996, Atlanta. Apart from that, Dawes also holds the incredible distinction of competing in three Olympic editions. A feat very few gymnasts have been able to achieve so far.

In a recent video uploaded on YouTube by Monumental Sports Network, Dawes talked about the Simone Biles effect. Speaking on the immediate impact brought in by Biles, Dawes highlighted that Biles’ was different. Her ability to keep her physical and mental self ahead of the sport was something to be marveled at. The 47-year-old said that back in the day, nobody could open up about a mental health issue.

Giving Biles her flowers for showing the courage to open up Dawes recalled, “When I was growing up, discussing mental health in gymnastics was taboo. If you mentioned it, people thought something was wrong with you. With a family history of mental health struggles, I think it’s wonderful that athletes today feel free to speak up and seek help without fear of judgement.” Dawes also mentioned how she was immensely proud of the feats that the gymnastics queen had achieved.

She stated that coming back after a setback at 27 years old was remarkable enough. But the fact that Biles was able to rule in her third Olympics outing shows just how special she truly was. Dawes also pointed out how gymnastics in the 90s were heavily influenced by the Eastern European coaching mentality.

Recalling a gruesome incident, the 3x Olympian stated that during her trip to the Barcelona Olympics, they had a ‘No Pain No Spain’ motto. This meant that the athletes were not allowed to complain about any mental or physical stress, which was a shocking prospect for the athletes’ well-being in the long run. Meanwhile, the Simone Biles effect not only had a lasting impact on Dawes but also on her four little kids.

Dominique Dawes’ kids awestruck by Simone Biles despite mother’s impressive career

Dominique Dawes belongs to the elite list of gymnasts who competed in three Olympics. Being a member of the US National gymnastics team, Dawes is a 4x Olympic gold medalist. Interestingly, besides winning the gold medal in 1996, Dawes also has an impeccable record in the games. In every edition of the Olympics she took part in, Dawes secured at least one medal.

By far, her Atlanta outing was the best of the lot. She clinched the team gold and also went on to win the bronze in floor exercise. Back in 1992, her first Olympics, the now 47-year-old kicked off her Olympics journey with a team bronze medal. Finally, she signed off her final Olympic appearance by winning a team bronze medal in Sydney 2000. Dawes also has 3 silver and 1 bronze medal in the World Championships.

Interestingly, despite her overly accomplished career, Dawes’ kids seem to be more impacted by Simone Biles. Speaking about Biles’ interaction with her kids, Dawes said, “Whenever I’ve met her, she’s been kind and gracious to my four little ones.” She also shared a funny exchange between her kids. The 47-year-old icon said, “They often ask, “Mommy, is Simone better than you?” tell them, “Well, for today, yes-but back in the day, I was pretty good too!”” Thus, changing the narrative of modern-day gymnastics, Simone Biles is getting all the love she deserves. Now, it remains to be seen how she can further continue her quest as the GOAT in the days to come.

Simone Biles came into the Paris Olympics carrying a mountain of pressure. The Tokyo Olympics had left her in a media whirlwind, with cameras and expectations glued to her every move. The aftermath was rough, and in Netflix’s Simone Biles Rising Part 1, we got a peek into the sheer intensity she faced. Clips show cameras in her face, media declaring her as the ‘gold medal favorite’ long before she even stepped on the mat. And after her withdrawal due to the “Twisties,” the backlash was brutal—online trolls branded her a “quitter,” “selfish,” and worse. But this time around?

Simone Biles had a different game plan: protect her peace at the Paris Olympics. She explained, “Because of everything that did happen in Tokyo. So we wanted to try to take a different approach and not talking to media. Just kind of staying in my zone. Still following up with my therapist. I turned off the comments on my Instagram, which I don’t care. If you wanna comment good or bad, you’re not gonna be allowed. And then, Twitter, I’ve actually deleted a couple times off my phone. So yeah, I think I’m getting there.” Spoiler alert—it worked. Biles walked away from Paris with three gold medals.

Of course, fans had a lot to say. One X user, Maile, put it perfectly: “Olympic gymnast Simone Biles had to delete Twitter/X off her phone to compete at the Olympics. She was able to keep her other social media but said X was just too hateful, vile, and full of negativity. Why is that? Why do people behave so poorly here in a way they would never on another platform?”

Simone Biles was laser-focused heading into Paris, and she made some big sacrifices to keep it that way. Social media was just the beginning—she also took a serious step back from the media circus. No fan photos, no pre-competition interviews, no snapshots with starstruck admirers. Her mission was clear: stay locked in, eyes on the prize, and chase redemption on the competition days at the Paris Olympics.

Reflecting on her Tokyo experience, Simone felt that all the hype and attention in the lead-up had only piled on the pressure. So, despite knowing some might criticize her choice, she went full steam ahead. In Simone Biles Rising, her resolve was crystal clear, and fans rallied behind her, applauding her every decision. This comment set off a firestorm.

Why should a world-class athlete like Simone have to dodge social media just to get in the right headspace for competition? And when did fans lose all compassion for what she’s been through? They even took it upon themselves to shield her from any online hate.

The gymternet was all-in on Simone’s decision to protect her peace at the Paris Olympics. Fans rallied to her side on X, with one saying, “Oh it is way worse on FB, Instagram and TikTok.” But this is true for all platforms online. In fact, social media users know the comment sections can get brutal, but Simone didn’t ditch Instagram or TikTok because, well, she actually enjoys creating content there!

In an interview with TODAY, she said, “Insta is good. It’s a good way to connect. It’s a way to share what we’re going through. And TikTok. I’ve tried to make a little more TikToks, I’m not the greatest at that. I’m learning.” Safe to say, Biles wasn’t leaving these apps anytime soon—unless, of course, things took a nasty turn. Another fan commented on X, “There are other possibilities to why she might do that,” hinting at deeper reasons.

True enough, Simone’s decision to delete X was simple but necessary. The post-Tokyo backlash had been intense. She even told Alex Cooper on the Call Her Daddy podcast, “As soon as I landed, I was like, oh, America hates me. The world is gonna hate me. And I can only see what they’re saying on Twitter right now… I was, I thought I was gonna be banned from America because that’s what they tell you. Don’t come back if it’s not gold, gold or bust, don’t come back.” So, to avoid history repeating itself, she hit pause on X—for her mental health. The irony?

One fan summed it up bluntly: “The reality (my opinion, of course) is this…PEOPLE ARE UGLY. Full stop. Don’t care which direction you “lean” ugliness flows in all directions. She kept her other platforms… why? Because those platforms block, censor, and dictate what’s acceptable or not, yet it depends on what & who it is towards those platforms.”  They added that X is like a town square where people know it’s nearly a free-for-all, allowing almost anything to be said.

The fan wasn’t sympathetic to the idea of Biles leaving because people were so mean, pointing out it’s a humanity problem, not just an X issue. But they’d take the hate if it meant freedom of speech, noting it’s up to adults to block or ignore the nastiness. That being said, the 11x Olympic medalist had a massive outpouring of love, too.

But platforms like Twitter often give hate the loudest mic. Things got so bad after Tokyo that even public figures were taking shots. Ohio Senator JD Vance weighed in with, “What I find so weird about this–and it reflects on the media more than it does on Simone Biles – is that we’ve tried to turn a very tragic moment, Simone Biles quitting the Olympic team, into this act of heroism.”

Luckily, her Paris performance shut down the critics. One fan perfectly summed up the general sentiment: “It’s unfortunate that Twitter/X often amplifies the loudest and most toxic voices, making it difficult for people like Simone Biles to maintain their mental well-being.” So, what do you think? Did Simone Biles make the best choice for her mental health by taking a break from the hate? Whatever your take, let’s remember this: she just added four Olympic medals to her collection, three of them gold, in a jaw-dropping comeback!

Simone Biles Rising offers an inspiring and insightful view into the enigmatic gymnast’s journey to the Paris Olympics, but also looks at the issues of age and early retirement in the sport. Simone Biles is recognized as one of the most successful gymnasts in history, but she faced struggles with her physical and mental health that impacted her performances. The Netflix documentary series examines her withdrawal from the competition at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and how she overcame her physical and mental traumas in order to compete at the 2024 Paris games.

In the two-part documentary, Biles opens up about the struggles she endured which brought about her decision to leave the Tokyo games and the backlash she faced following her decision to prioritize her mental health over winning an Olympic medal. Reviews of Simone Biles Rising have called it a structured and emotional tale of the immense pressure Biles was feeling at the games and her eventual return to glory. The docuseries also examines the issues of a competitor’s age at the Olympics and the questions of early retirement from competition.

At Age 46 In Tokyo 2020, Oksana Chusovitina Became The Oldest Female Gymnast To Compete In The Olympics

Oksana Chusovitina Competed in Eight Olympics Across Her Career

In the documentary series, Simone Biles discusses her experiences at the Olympics and the mental struggles she faced when she decided to withdraw from the 2020 games. Across her gymnastics career, Biles has competed in four Olympic Games, and has won a total of 11 Olympic medals in both singles and team competitions, including four at the 2024 Paris Games. Her success in Paris made Biles the oldest gymnast to represent the United States at the Olympics since the 1952 Helsinki Games, where Marie Margaret Hosely competed at the age of 35 (via USA Today).

In Tokyo 2020, Uzbek gymnast Oksana Chusovitina set a record by becoming the oldest female gymnast to compete in the Olympics, at the age of 46. Throughout her career, Chusovitina represented three different countries – Uzbekistan, Germany, and the Unified Team – and won two medals in 1992 and 2008. Although she wasn’t successful in placing at the 2020 Games, Oksana Chusovitina remains the only gymnast in history to compete in eight Olympic Games across four decades.

What Age Female Olympian Gymnasts Usually Retire At & Why

Gymnasts Usually Retire At A Younger Age Than Other Athletes

Since the 2024 Paris Games, rumors of Simone Biles’ potential retirement from competitive gymnastics have been shared. The talented gymnast has not made any confirmation about retirement but in an interview with Reuters, she stated that she “is really getting old” in terms of participating in competition. At the event, Simone Biles was the oldest member of the gymnastics team representing the United States; her team members, Sunisa Lee, Jordan Chiles, Jade Carey and Hezley Rivera were all between the ages of 16 and 24 during the games.

Female Olympian gymnasts usually retire from competition when they reach their mid-twenties; only a few competitors, such as Germany’s Kim Bui and Italy’s Vanessa Ferrari have continued gymnastics into their thirties. A study by Synergy Gymnastics shows that the average age of a female Olympic gymnast is 20 years old. The study also points out the high demand that the sport of gymnastics has for an athlete, both physically and mentally, which is what impacted Biles throughout her gymnastics career. Given the young age of retirement for female gymnasts, it would be understandable if Biles did decide to take a step back from competition at this stage.

How Simone Biles’ Age Compares To Other Record-Breaking Olympic Gymnasts

She Is Regarded As One Of The Greatest Gymnasts Of All Time

The question of retirement for Biles has increased since the 2024 Paris Games; she was 27 at the time of competing, significantly older than similar Olympic gymnasts. In the docuseries, Biles expresses that at the age of 27, her body is “on a ticking time bomb” in terms of her abilities at the games. Biles’ success and age at the Olympics has been compared to other successful gymnasts, including Nadia Comaneci, Mary Lou Retton, and Aly Raisman, who all retired before the age of 25.

However, it should be noted that Simone Biles is close in age to Soviet gymnast Larisa Latynina, who won a record 18 Olympic medals between 1956 and 1964. Latynina competed in the 1964 Olympic Games at age 29, where she won 6 medals; she continued competing professionally until her early thirties (via The New York Times). The question of whether Simone Biles will continue to compete or not remains under debate, but as Simone Biles Rising shows, she is at a better stage in her life than she was at the 2020 Tokyo Games.