Three years after pulling out of the Tokyo Olympics (held in 2021 instead of 2020 due to the pandemic), celebrated gymnast Simone Biles returned to the Olympic floor in Paris determined to reclaim her title. In the years between the Olympics, naysayers had criticized the gold medalist for choosing to step back and focus on her mental health. In the first half of the Katie Walsh-directed four-part docuseries “Simone Biles Rising,” Biles speaks openly about her mesmerizing career and the struggles that led to her setback in Tokyo. The final episodes of “Rising” focus on the 2024 Paris Games and the woman and athlete Biles has become. Full of raw and inspiring moments, with breathtaking gymnastics competition footage, Part 2 of “Rising” is both a celebration and a magnificent ending.
Part 2 begins in Paris in July 2024. The camera finds Biles, her mother, Nellie, and her sister, Adria, enjoying the pastries, sights and shopping in the City of Light. But this is just the calm before the storm. During a confessional, Biles reflects on an injury she incurred amid qualifications in Paris. Though she feels mentally well, her body — her calf, in particular — might not be up for the task.
From these opening scenes, Episode 3, “I Will Defy the Odds,” rewinds four months to March 14, 2024, Biles’ 27th birthday. While her husband, NFL player Jonathan Owens, and her mother are eager to celebrate, for Biles, this is another rigorous day at the gym, a reminder of her age and the wear and tear on her body. Most female gymnasts retire long before their mid-twenties. Despite all expectations, Biles would go on to be the oldest female American gymnast to compete in the Olympics since the 1950s.
“Rising” works beautifully because it interlays Biles’ career within the history of gymnastics. In interviews with historians, legendary Olympian Nadia Comăneci and Laurie Hernandez (former Olympian and delightful commentator), the series illustrates how the sport changed over the decades and how the small, pixie gymnast was born following Comăneci’s historic gold medal win at age 14 at the 1976 Olympics. For Biles to compete in three consecutive games at her age without any significant injuries proves valuing mental and physical well-being equally could change the game for newcomers.
Following Biles’ birthday, the show flashes forward to the gymnastic Olympic trials in Minnesota and into the Paris games. Viewers who watched the summer games will recall Biles hopping off the mat the day before the team final. The calf tear she incurred was terrifying, giving onlookers flashbacks to Tokyo as they watched Biles crawl after her warmup, but she never wavered. The cameras show her pushing through the pain and refusing to be buried under the weight of millions of opinions and expectations.
The first half of the series was about Biles reclaiming her voice and unveiling the toxic culture that was ingrained in competitive gymnastics for decades. However, the final two episodes are all about the beauty of the sport. In Episode 4, “I Will Rise,” Biles goes head to head against Brazillian gymnast Rebeca Andrade, who has given Biles a run for her money in technique and difficulty.
Additionally, audiences see more glimpses of Biles’ personal life. In Episode 3, Biles and Owens addressed the public backlash toward him when he shared on a podcast that he didn’t know who she was before they connected romantically. The Chicago Bears safety was lambasted in the media, prompting Biles to speak up for her marriage and delete her X (formally known as Twitter) account. Despite the external drama, “Rising” depicts the couple’s support and love for one another. Biles looks on as Owens throws out the first pitch at a Chicago White Sox game, and later, Owens, dressed in a personalized Biles T-shirt, watches the competitions and the scoreboard like a hawk during the Paris Games. Though the world often forgets the humanity of public figures, together, the two athletes have created a bubble of safety and understanding.
“Simone Biles Rising” Part 2 isn’t quite as captivating as Part 1, but the show remains engaging. In addition to the friendly rivalry between Biles and Andrade in the Woman’s All-Around, the audience sees a ton of lighter moments, including the Olympian and her teammate Jordan Chiles’ apprehensive reaction to their Ralph Lauren Opening Ceremony gear, Owens’ trying to ease Biles’ anxiety prior to the competition and later the overflow of tears and relief when the games end. While the series showcases Biles’ legacy, it’s also a beautiful reflection of a champion who defied all odds.
