Remember the Paris 2024 Olympics vault final? American gymnast Simone Biles took gold with a score of 15.300, while Brazilian Rebeca Andrade was right behind her with 14.966. It was a fiercely contested final, after which Biles said, “She’s way too close. I’ve never had an athlete that close, so it definitely put me on my toes.” Fast forward two years, and Andrade shone even brighter at the Pan American Gymnastics Championships, winning gold and marking a triumphant return.

On June 18, Andrade returned to international competition for the first time since Paris 2024, representing Brazil in the team event. She only performed the vault, where she opened with a nearly stuck Yurchenko double twist for 14.533 (9.533 E), then followed it with a Lopez vault, scoring 14.166 (9.366 E).

Her average score of 14.349 was enough to put her at the top and secure a place in the apparatus final, while Brazil also had plenty to celebrate in the team competition.

The team included Gabriela Bouças, Julia Soares, Sophia Weisberg, and Thaís Fidélis, and each of them had their moments. Brazil started on uneven bars and stayed steady, finishing the rotation without falls. Gabriela Bouças led the way with 13.033 points. Weisberg added 12.966 with a clean dismount, while Fidélis contributed 12.733, helping Brazil reach a total of 38.699 on the apparatus.

On the balance beam, Fidélis delivered the standout routine of the day. Despite missing one connection, she showcased strong execution to score 13.833 and qualify for the apparatus final in first place. Soares followed with a controlled routine for 13.566, while Weisberg posted 12.600. Bouças, meanwhile, endured a difficult outing with two falls, resulting in her score being dropped.

Floor exercise brought more struggle for Brazil. Thaís Fidélis led with 12.766, while Weisberg’s routine to “Sequência Feiticeira” by Pedro Sampaio lifted the crowd at Arena Carioca 1. Soares had landing issues and stepped out twice for 12.166, and Bouças fell on her final pass for 11.533.

The team ended with 37.499, below their potential on the event. Expectations were high for vault, and there, Andrade delivered. In the end, the United States, who were without Simone Biles, took gold with 161.628 points, Brazil finished with silver at 157.796, and Canada took bronze with 156.997.

It was a solid return to the sport for Andrade, who decided to scale back her competition schedule after Paris 2024. But her biggest motivation for returning is chasing the one thing still missing from her resume. She already has 11 World Championship medals and six Olympic medals, but an Olympic medal on the uneven bars, her favorite apparatus, remains elusive.

Rebeca Andrade chases missing Olympic piece as Biles’s leave 2028 Return Uncertain

Rebeca Andrade’s best result on bars so far is a silver at the 2021 World Championships, and she has been open about what she still wants to achieve.

“I would really like us to qualify the team so we can be in Los Angeles so I can compete in the final on the apparatus I will be performing on,” Andrade said. “I really want to come back to Brazil with a medal on uneven bars. It’s my dream.” But while Andrade looks ahead, the other side of the story still feels uncertain.

Simone Biles has not confirmed whether she would return for the 2028 Olympics. “I’d say we’re still at fifty percent. I feel we should admire athletes while they are competing. I’ve already been to three Olympic Games, and I feel fulfilled. It is crazy to see how people always want more from you. In the end, the decision will always be mine,” she told El País.

Biles has indicated she’d probably be in Los Angeles, but hasn’t yet made up her mind if it will be as an athlete or merely as a spectator. She hasn’t competed since Paris 2024, and she has not officially announced if she is returning to training. Nevertheless, there are a number of factors that may influence her decision.

Physical demand is the first. Next, she explained in Paris how difficult it was for her to recover. There is a lot of stress put on the joints and muscles in gymnastics, and by 2028, she would be approximately 31 years old, and at that age, very few females are still at the highest level of gymnastics. The second is the lengthy preparation process. It would take years of systematic training, repetition, and gradually building up competition readiness.

The third is mental balance. Biles has often spoken about the pressure she has carried through her Olympic journey, especially in Tokyo. In recent years, she has leaned more toward a calmer routine and life outside competition. “I think the Olympics at home are motivation enough, but at the same time, I feel like our bodies are a bit like an hourglass that keeps running out. I’m 29 now, and although longevity has advanced by leaps and bounds in elite sports, it would be a huge sacrifice to try to be in Los Angeles. We’ll see,” she said.

For now, the question stays open. Biles’ return is possible, but not certain, and that uncertainty keeps the rivalry, at least in memory, still very much alive.