Brazil’s Olympic champion Andrade inspires girls at her hometown gym where career began

GUARULHOS, Brazil (AP) — As she practiced her advanced strikes and somersaults, aspiring gymnast 14-year-old Manuela Kriegel stored gazing at one of many partitions of the Bonifácio Cardoso gymnasium outdoors the Brazilian metropolis of Sao Paulo.

It featured a portray of a nationwide hero — Olympic champion and hometown favourite Rebeca Andrade — with two medals, a gold and a silver, that Andrade received on the Tokyo Video games three years in the past.

“That is outdated now,” Kriegel informed The Related Press on Tuesday after she completed her warm-up routines.

Outdated certainly. The 25-year-old Andrade received 4 extra medals on the Paris Olympics, together with gold within the ground train with a slender victory over star U.S. gymnast Simone Biles. The Guarulhos native has turn out to be essentially the most adorned Olympian within the historical past of the South American nation, with six medals.

Dozens of women lined up with their dad and mom within the early hours of Tuesday on the public gymnasium the place Andrade began her profession 15 years in the past. A few of these hopeful athletes in Guarulhos prepare there every single day.

Andrade’s formative years in Guarulhos has impressed locals who copy her audacious strikes and in addition those that love her resilience — she used to stroll about one hour to get to the gymnasium and had three ACL surgical procedures in her profession.

Andrade left Guarulhos for Brazil’s nationwide crew in 2010, moved to Rio de Janeiro shortly after after which began her rise within the sport.

Kriegel, who took up the game in 2019, needed to offer it up throughout the pandemic. However then Andrade’s performances in Tokyo — a gold medal within the vault occasion and a silver within the all-round competitors — modified her thoughts and satisfied her that Brazilian gymnasts can win on the Olympics. She is much more satisfied now after her compatriot beat Biles within the ground train.

“It’s what Rebeca says. We have now to belief the work we do right here every single day, get our coaching proper and turn out to be assured in what we do once we are doing it,” stated Kriegel, as 10 youngsters aged between 5 and 10 years outdated entered the gymnasium for a trial. “Earlier than her it wasn’t potential. And now it’s a lot past what we anticipated.”

Mônica dos Anjos, a gymnastics trainer on the Bonifácio Cardoso and a referee in official competitions, was one of many first to see Andrade in motion — when Andrade was 5. She stated it didn’t take lengthy for all staffers to make certain she would turn out to be a star.

“I noticed just a little woman with that biotype. Robust, explosive, simply enjoying,” Dos Anjos stated. “Many women began coming in 2021 due to Rebeca. Now they know it’s potential. Rebeca was right here, she jumped the identical vault, carried out on the identical ground. Not all will make it, however simply dreaming about it and attempting exhausting will open many doorways for them sooner or later.”

Kelly Mendes introduced her daughter Lara Vicente to the gymnasium 5 years in the past, when Lara was solely 7. There was no Andrade to encourage them then, however Brazil was already falling in love with gymnastics. Now, that keenness is ready to develop much more, she believes.

“This place is nice for coaching. We are able to’t say a (unhealthy) phrase about their coaches.” Mendes stated Tuesday. “Guarulhos might have one other Rebeca.”

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