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Simone Biles Rising: Multiple Award-winning Gymnast Talks Mental Health and Others In Her New Netflix Docuseries

BY Dora Abena Dzaka June 22, 2024 6:43 AM EDT
Photo Credit: Facebook @Simone Biles

The most decorated Olympian gymnast in history, Simone Arianne Biles Owens, is documenting her journey back to Olympic competition.

In advance of the Olympics in Paris, Simone Biles, 27, and Netflix revealed a new documentary series on Wednesday, June 19. 

The series features behind-the-scenes videos of Biles’ life since her withdrawal from Tokyo four years ago.

According to Netflix, the first installment of the four-part documentary series, Simone Biles Rising will debut on July 17, which is just nine days before the Olympic Games inauguration ceremony.

In addition to documenting her journey to reclaim her place at the pinnacle of gymnastics, the documentary will feature Biles’ rationale for withdrawing from the competition at the last Olympics her comeback to the mat in 2023, and her preparation for the US Olympic Trials.

There will also be clips with her spouse, NFL safety, Jonathan Owens, her mother Nellie Biles, and her former Team USA colleague, Aly Raisman.

A formal summary for the documentary series characterizes Biles as ‘one of the biggest storylines coming into the Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympics which was plagued by the COVID-19 pandemic before the four-time gold medalist was impacted by the ‘twisties’.

Additionally, a never-before-seen video of Biles’ marriage to Jonathan Owens will be featured in the series.

As per the blurb on Just Jared, “Simone has been working hard to rebuild her gymnastics from the ground up, addressing the painful traumas of her life, learning to manage her mental health, and enjoying her path. This summer, she intends to return to the Olympic stage to do what she’s always done, be the best Simone Biles that she can be”.

In a statement shared by Netflix, Biles said of the upcoming documentary: “We are all the authors of our own journeys, and I am in a place in my life where I’m comfortable with who I am and what I’ve been through as an athlete, but most of all, as a person.”

Over the previous year, Biles, 27, and Owens, 28, moved into their Texas mansion together.

The four-time gold medalist emerged first at the 2024 US Gymnastics Championships in May. 

Biles also sat on the sidelines multiple times to support her husband during the 2023 NFL season.

“I’m excited for people to see another side of me outside of competition. Gymnastics is what I do, but it’s not who I am.”

In a separate statement, she said, “I hope this documentary helps to empower young girls to be true to who they are and never give up on their dreams. I know there are young girls out there who look to me for inspiration and are faced with similar challenges.”

According to the Olympics‘ official website, Biles and Shannon Miller are presently tied for the most Olympic medals earned by any American gymnast, with seven over her career.