Netflix Releases Part One of Simone Biles’ New Documentary Simone Biles Rising
On July 17, part one of Simone Biles Rising was released on Netflix, diving into the life of Olympic gold medalist Simone Biles.
Simone Biles Rising showcases her struggles throughout her life, proving that she can return and continue following her dreams after a setback. The all-around champion will compete in the Paris Olympic Games later this summer. Biles is known as the “greatest athlete of all time” (GOAT), but her documentary reveals the moments when she felt the world was against her.
Episode one takes viewers to Japan during the 2020 Tokyo Olympics when Biles withdrew from the competition. After performing an Amanar on the vault, the athlete experienced twisties, “a state of mental unrest where the brain chooses to no longer communicate with the body.” In the documentary, Biles stated, “I knew from that one moment,” adding, “To me it felt silent. I felt like I was in jail in my own brain and body.”
For her physical and mental health, she decided to step back, letting her teammate, Jordan Chiles, take her place. Soon after, social media filled with hateful commentators who believed she was a “quitter” and let down her team.
After further consultation with medical staff, Simone Biles has decided to withdraw from the event finals for vault and the uneven bars. She will continue to be evaluated daily to determine whether to compete in the finals for floor exercise and balance beam. pic.twitter.com/kWqgZJK4LJ
— USA Gymnastics (@USAGym) July 31, 2021
Episode two showcases her journey as she balances her mental health, bitter fans, and her next steps in life. Additionally, the athlete acknowledged her recovery from the sexual assault charges against former U.S. Gymnastics team doctor, Larry Nassar. Biles expressed that her Tokyo experience was a trauma response from everything unfolding in previous events.
It took the Olympian a year and a half to return to the gym. Putting her mental health first, the athlete’s journey back to the mat looked different from her previous years. In preparation for the Paris Olympics, the athlete is doing fewer media interviews, staying off social media platforms, and taking more time for herself.
My God, this Simone Biles documentary… I’m even more in awe of her than I was before. Not only is she the GOAT, she is a true overcomer. There will never ever be another!
— Oluwapelumi – God with me (@PelsOfWisdom) July 18, 2024
The director, Kate Walsh stated, “My whole approach with this film was that there’s this idea of the way the outside world looks in at her, and then there’s the way that she’s experiencing the world that’s around her.” She added, “Sometimes those things align. Sometimes she is the GOAT, and we see the GOAT. And sometimes we see the GOAT, and she feels insecure. And sometimes you see just this one side of her, and we get to see these other sides of her.”
Part two of Simone Biles Rising documentary will be released later this fall. Watch the trailer below and check out part one on Netflix.
