World champion Rebeca Andrade, Brazil eye Paris 2024 qualification at Gymnastics World Championships 2023
The 2022 all-around winner will compete on all four events for the first time since taking the global title
Artistic Gymnastics
For reigning World all-around champion Rebeca Andrade of Brazil it's all about Paris 2024 this week at the 2023 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Antwerp, Belgium, which will be live on the Olympic Channel via Olympics.com and the official Olympics app (territorial restrictions apply).
The history-making Brazilian will compete on all four events for the first time since taking the crown in Liverpool a year ago. With a history of injury, having suffered torn ACLs three times (2015, 2017, and 2019), Andrade and coach Francisco Porath have taken a cautious approach over the past four seasons, limiting her repetitions especially on the floor exericse.
But as the sport's largest Paris 2024 Olympic Qualifier looms, the moment is now.
"She hasn't competed floor for a while. Floor is the apparatus that wears her out to get ready, to get in shape. And sometimes we choose not to do floor, so that she can make three high-quality other apparatus," said Porath after their podium training session Friday (29 September 2023). "And now? Now she's looking for an Olympic quota, she also has the opportunity for an individual quota, so she needs to do floor. So, we did this planning to get her here, to perform the four apparatus."
Andrade and the entire Brazilian squad looked solid throughout their official training. The 24-year-old showed an upgraded balance beam dismount (a full-twisting, double back) as well as her highly anticipated new floor routine, a follow up to her iconic "Baile de Favela."
"Rebeca's previous song conquered the world. Today, it's a song that Rebeca likes, that Rebeca likes to dance to, and it's a happy song that continues to represent that essence of Rebeca," said Porath of the routine that features Beyonce's "End of Time," music by Brazilian singer Anitta, and a nod to her beloved 'Baile' performance. "That's the way she likes it. She liked the sound construction, she likes to do [the routine], we like to listen to it at the gym, she likes to listen to it. So each song, we will seek and become more of Rebeca's trademark, even with this dancing, cheerful, Brazilian thing."
Two-time Olympians Flavia Saraiva and Jade Barbosa, both returning from injury, looked strong with Saraiva performing with ease on the balance beam and floor exercise, while Barbosa delivered a captivating floor routine set to music from 'Chicago' and vaulted a solid Yurchenko double twist.
Porath was pleased with the squad's runthrough as they prepare for their qualifying session on Monday (2 October).
"I think we had a good time on the apparatus. The gym is great, the apparatus are official. It's very difficult to get started on the balance beam, so we trained a lot for that," he said of their practice session. "The first routines weren't so good, but, then, they relaxed with the environment.... The girls are well prepared. I believe that Monday we can have a good competition."