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Rebeca Andrade, 22, was born in Guarulhos, Brazil. She began gymnastics at the age of four and since then her journey has been a complex yet rewarding one. This young Brazilian has made history for her country, as well as for Latin America. In a sport historically dominated by other countries, including the United States, Andrade has defied all odds in Tokio 2020. She is the first female from her country to win Olympic gold in the sport in the vault finals, having won silver in the individual all-around.
She is a social media sensation, and her victory was well received by her fellow Brazilian and Latin Americans. With more than 2.5 million followers on Instagram, Andrade is a positive influence in and outside the sport.
After several injuries had tried to keep Andrade down over the last few years, including a third ACL tear while competing at the Brazilian Championships, she soared to new heights Tokyo 2020. Her story is one of resilience, discipline, talent, and respect for gymnastics.