The Albany Gazette - Andrade - Brazil's brilliant vault queen

The Covid-delayed 2020 Games will forever be remembered for US superstar Simon Biles' dramatic withdrawal after suffering a bout of "the Twisties".

After losing her sense of spatial awareness, Biles was forced to play the role of bystander as Andrade exploited her arch rival's absence to claim vault gold, and a place in her country's Olympic Games folklore.

For good measure she also took silver in the all-around.

Three years on, Andrade is primed to follow up at Paris 2024 against a back-to-form Biles.

"It's about doing my best," Andrade, 25, said recently.

"And I hope she (Biles) does too, that she does her best, because it's an honour to be able to compete alongside her."

The showdown between the pair is shaping up to be one of the stand-out rivalries of the Paris Games.

Since Tokyo, where Biles had topped vault qualifying before her shock sudden exit from competition, Andrade has taken vault gold at the 2021 world championships, and the all-around world title in 2022.

With Biles seemingly back to her astonishing best, the pair gave an indication of what's in store over the next fortnight when they clashed in the 2023 world championships last autumn.

Biles won four golds and a silver in Antwerp -- Andrade finishing second to her arch rival each time -- but significantly beating the American to the vault title.

"She is Biles' main opponent today, it's normal that the spotlight is on her," Ney Wilson of the Brazilian Olympic Committee told AFP, adding that they were paying attention to the psychological health of their brightest gymnastics star after what happened to the American in Tokyo.

"We are monitoring her closely, particularly her mental preparation. She is well prepared, she does not feel any additional pressure despite her status," Wilson added.

A major part of Andrade's compelling back story is her rise from favela to fame.

In the women's all round event in Antwerp, American Shilese Jones was third behind Biles and Andrade: the first time at a major gymnastics championship that three black women had stood on the podium.

"Representation, right?" Andrade said.

"We are seeing a lot more black athletes and are able to represent and encourage so many children and young people who previously thought they couldn't dream but today can not only dream but can believe that it is possible."

- 'I clean the house and sing' -

Chosen to carry Brazil's flag at the closing ceremony in Tokyo, Andrade's talent was spotted from a very early age.

"I remember that she was already muscular, with a lot of strength in her little arms and legs," recalled her first coach Monica Barroso dos Anjos.

"I asked her to do a cartwheel, then some jumps. Then I told my colleague, 'We have the new Daiane Dos Santos' (Brazil's first female artistic gymnastics world champion).

"She couldn't sit still. If we put music on, she would start dancing or imitating the movements of the older girls."

Andrade, one of eight children, is fondly known as Rebeyonce, after her admiration for Beyonce.

And like her heroine, Andrade enjoys exercising her vocal chords.

"Singing does me a lot of good. I train and sing. I clean the house and sing. The shower is a good friend."

Her supporters will be hoping she hits the right notes at the Bercy Arena, the stage for the artistic gymnastics competition in the French capital over the coming days with the vault final scheduled for August 3.

(J.Torres--TAG)