Carry On Brazil!
Rebeca Andrade. Jade Barbosa. Loranne Oliveira. Flavia Saraiva. Julia Soares.
Bear in mind the names. You’re about to listen to loads about them. (Trace, watch the livestreams!)
To say we’re trying ahead to watching Brazil in Paris could be the largest understatement of the 12 months. The Brazilian ladies, who took silver in Antwerp on the 2023 World Championships are actually poised to make historical past as soon as once more on the Video games. In Belgium, what struck us most past their unbelievable and dynamic gymnastics, was their ardour for competitors, their love for the game, and the momentum they created as a staff from the phrase go till they stood on the rostrum with medals round their necks. Within the Combined Zone following the staff competitors, they stayed nicely past their assigned time, talking with each reporter, granting each interview, posing for each image (selfies included!) and taking in each second to have fun. It was the belief of a lifelong dream for all of them and now, because the Video games are set to start, Brazil is the highest staff contender going through america, who’s favored for gold.
Led by 2022 World All-Round champion and 2023 All-Round runner up Andrade, who boasts the most effective Cheng within the enterprise by our rely (see it right here!), Brazil was electrical from starting to finish in Antwerp. Would this lastly be the 12 months they’d attain the world championships podium? Higher imagine it. Within the last rotation, they went lights out on vault with Saraiva bringing again her Yurchenko double twist, veteran Barbosa going a tenth greater with hers, and Andrade practically sticking that Cheng to make Brazil’s historic second official. Their ardour by no means wavered and now they’re headed to the 2024 Olympic Video games as World silver medalists and favored for a medal.
With their names already etched within the historical past books, Brazil is hungry for extra. They’ve by no means received a staff medal in gymnastics on the Olympics and stars aligned, Paris needs to be their time. Silver could be stunning, however this staff is eyeing gold. It’s their camaraderie and perception in themselves that issues most and will elevate them to second once more, and even one step greater. Afterall, it’s the Olympics and as we’ve seen, something is feasible.
Barbosa received her very first World medal 16 years in the past. On the age of 32, she has not solely overcome an excessive amount of adversity by means of the years, however she has watched the game evolve proper earlier than her eyes. As she stood subsequent to her staff taking in historical past, the feelings have been exhausting to include. “We, as a staff, believed for a few years on this consequence,” Barbosa stated. “I get actually emotional, as a result of once I began a few years in the past, individuals didn’t know the names of the weather. Now they know in regards to the code, the names, and even issues that we don’t know ourselves!”
Via the highs and the lows, what’s undoubtedly Brazil’s biggest era of feminine gymnasts ever have grow to be nearer than ever. After Andrade grabbed the silver behind Simone Biles within the All-Round last, she was fast to credit score the efficiency of her teammate Flavia Saraiva.
“It’s not nearly me,” Andrade stated. “We’re a staff, we work collectively on a regular basis. I received the medal however she was there with me … so it’s not simply my medal, it’s our medal.” Andrade left Antwerp as one of the vital adorned athletes of all the World Championships – tied after all with none aside from Simone Biles. The duo stood on the medal podium collectively 5 instances when all was stated and executed. “I’m actually glad about all the things that occurred this 12 months,” Andrade stated. “It was a troublesome competitors as a result of it took loads mentally and bodily, however I’m actually honored that I might compete in all these finals and take these medals.”
It was a dream come to fruition for Saraiva as nicely. In Liverpool in 2022 she was restricted because of an harm sustained within the Qualification spherical. In Antwerp, she was again with that radiant smile we bear in mind all the best way again to Rio in 2016 and higher than ever on the competitors ground. For the primary time in profession, she grabbed a World particular person medal with a bronze on ground. “I’m feeling actually glad,” Saraiva stated. “A variety of instances I bought into the ground last however I didn’t do my greatest routine and typically I used to be injured. That is my first particular person World Championship medal! Each time you get a great consequence, you need extra!” There may be definitely rather more to be achieved for Crew Brazil. With a staff ticket to the Paris 2024 Olympics now of their arms, anticipate the reigning World silver medalists to be combating for gold in Paris!