A four-part series following Simone Biles’ return to competition after a case of “the twisties” forced her out of the Tokyo Games is one of three Olympic-related documentaries coming from Netflix and the International Olympic Committee.
“Simone Biles: Rising” and “Sprint,” which follows world champions Noah Lyles and Sha’Carri Richardson, will both air ahead of this summer’s Paris Olympics, which begin July 26. A still-to-be-named documentary on Olympic basketball, from the same team that made “Last Dance” about Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls’ last title, will premiere early next year.
“The upcoming Netflix sports series offer a captivating glimpse into the lives of Olympic athletes who are at the heart of the Olympic Games, delivering inspiring stories and perspectives,” Jerome Parmentier, vice president for media rights and content partnerships at the IOC, said in a release announcing the collaboration.
Biles was heavily favored to win multiple gold medals in Tokyo, including a second consecutive all-around title. But she withdrew from the team final because mental health issues had brought on a case of “the twisties,” which left her unable to tell where she was in the air and jeopardized her physical safety. Biles also missed the all-around, vault, floor and uneven bars finals before returning for balance beam, where she won a bronze medal after reworking her routine to remove any twisting elements.
Biles took almost two years off before returning last season. She won her eighth national title, a record for a U.S. gymnast. She won her sixth all-around title at the world championships, and her five medals overall gave her 37 at worlds and the Olympics, making her the most-decorated gymnast ever, male or female.
Biles begins her season this weekend at the U.S. Classic in Hartford, Connecticut. The first episode of “Simone Biles: Rising” will air in July.
“Sprint” is from the same team that made “Drive to Survive,” Netflix’s wildly popular series on Formula 1. The multi-season series will follow American sprinters Richardson, Lyles and Shericka Jackson, as well as sprinters from Jamaica, the United Kingdom, Ivory Coast, Kenya and Italy. The first season begins in July.
The basketball documentary will follow “potential medal contenders and promising hopefuls” in men’s basketball, with a focus on how the game has grown internationally. Former President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama are among the executive producers.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Netflix, International Olympic Committee team up for 3 documentaries
