Deliver On Brazil!
Rebeca Andrade. Jade Barbosa. Loranne Oliveira. Flavia Saraiva. Julia Soares.
Bear in mind the names. You’re about to listen to so much about them. (Trace, watch the livestreams!)
To say we’re wanting ahead to watching Brazil in Paris could be the largest understatement of the yr. The Brazilian girls, who took silver in Antwerp on the 2023 World Championships at the moment are 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 Blended Zone following the staff competitors, they stayed effectively past their assigned time, talking with each reporter, granting each interview, posing for each image (selfies included!) and taking in each second to rejoice. It was the conclusion 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 the US, who’s favored for gold.
Led by 2022 World All-Round champion and 2023 All-Round runner up Andrade, who boasts the perfect Cheng within the enterprise by our depend (see it right here!), Brazil was electrical from starting to finish in Antwerp. Would this lastly be the yr they’d attain the world championships podium? Higher consider it. Within the remaining rotation, they went lights out on vault with Saraiva bringing again her Yurchenko double twist, veteran Barbosa going a tenth increased with hers, and Andrade almost 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 ought to be their time. Silver could be lovely, 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 increased. 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 via 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 laborious to comprise. “We, as a staff, believed for a few years on this outcome,” Barbosa mentioned. “I get actually emotional, as a result of after 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!”
By the highs and the lows, what’s undoubtedly Brazil’s biggest era of feminine gymnasts ever have develop into nearer than ever. After Andrade grabbed the silver behind Simone Biles within the All-Round remaining, she was fast to credit score the efficiency of her teammate Flavia Saraiva.
“It’s not nearly me,” Andrade mentioned. “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 crucial embellished athletes of your complete World Championships – tied after all with none apart from Simone Biles. The duo stood on the medal podium collectively 5 instances when all was mentioned and performed. “I’m actually blissful about all the things that occurred this yr,” Andrade mentioned. “It was a troublesome competitors as a result of it took so much mentally and bodily, however I’m actually honored that I may compete in all these finals and take these medals.”
It was a dream come to fruition for Saraiva as effectively. In Liverpool in 2022 she was restricted as a consequence of an damage sustained within the Qualification spherical. In Antwerp, she was again with that radiant smile we keep in mind all the way in which again to Rio in 2016 and higher than ever on the competitors flooring. For the primary time in profession, she grabbed a World particular person medal with a bronze on flooring. “I’m feeling actually blissful,” Saraiva mentioned. “A whole lot of instances I bought into the ground remaining however I didn’t do my finest routine and generally I used to be injured. That is my first particular person World Championship medal! Each time you get a superb outcome, you need extra!” There’s actually far more to be achieved for Group Brazil. With a staff ticket to the Paris 2024 Olympics now of their palms, anticipate the reigning World silver medalists to be combating for gold in Paris!
