Rebeca Andrade leads Brazilian women to historic first Olympic team bronze at Paris 2024: "She's incredible"
Rebeca Andrade had one final vault to perform. And she stuck it.
With the team bronze medal on the line in the women's gymnastics final on Tuesday (30 July), the reigning Olympic and world champion on that apparatus delivered under the ultimate pressure, sealing them their first Olympic team podium at Paris 2024.
It was a dramatic women's final inside Bercy Arena, with Simone Biles and Suni Lee leading Team USA to a redemptive gold medal, but the Brazilians hung around all evening, even after Flavia Saraiva had a scary fall on the uneven bars in the waning seconds before the final got underway.
But tough as ever, the Brazilians didn't let that deter them, with Saraiva being patched up - literally bandaged - by teammate Jade Barbosa after she suffered a cut above her right eyebrow.
It was Andrade who would settle them down in full, hitting solid routine after routine, including a sky-high double layout on floor, which elicited "Ooo's" and "Ahh's" from the crowd.
Nothing compared to that final stuck vault, though, a massive Cheng where Andrade nailed the landing for a 15.100 on an event she has delivered on time and again.
It was the biggest score on vault all night.
It's a crowning effort for Andrade, the reigning Olympic and world silver medallist in the individual all-around, too. The 25-year-old has scarcely competed internationally in 2024 and has faced a series of injuries that could have ended her career over the last several years.
"It’s so gratifying," Andrade told Olympics.com. "[This team] is what made me come back from every injury that I had. I was doing it for them and they were doing it for me. The floor was for them, the beam for them, the uneven… everything will always be for them. I’m so happy and proud of our results."
Instead, Tuesday saw her legacy build even further, with the Brazilian fans out in force inside the gymnastics venue, roaring and chating their approval.
They erupted for their home hopes at every turn, and after that bronze medal was secured, Andrade scaled the barriers of the lower bowl of the arena to hug some family and friends. One of those hugs went to her mother, Rosa.
"She's incredible," Rosa told Olympics.com via an interpreter. "[She has] been able to achieve something she fought so hard, a goal she tried so hard to get through faith, strength and grit. I’m happy, so happy.
She continued: "It’s so gratifying, so much joy, I had no way to describe so much emotion."
Rebeca Andrade on her future; Simone Biles
Andrade has helped lead a generation of greatness for the Brazilian women that has seen herself, Barbosa, Saraiva, Lorrane Oliveira and Julia Soares compete at a combined 12 Games.
Andrade has risen on the global platform eight years on from being a story of inspiration at her home Olympics at Rio 2016, claiming the world individual all-around title in 2022 and finishing as runner-up to Biles a year ago at Worlds.
She's carved out a global and fervent following in the wake of Simone, but also maintained her respect and admiration for the American as Biles bounced back to claim an eighth Olympic medal.
"It’s an honour to compete with her, she’s a reference to everybody, not just gymnastics," Andrade said in Portugese press about Biles. "Many athletes can watch her and see how she competes, how happy she is, doing her best for herself and for the team. People ask me how it would be without her, but I don’t even know if I’ll be here... we’ll see what the future holds for us."
Does that mean Andrade is tinking about the finish line?
“The future belongs to God," she explained. "It’s quite hard for me to do all-around after so many injuries - both knees, both feet. While my body can take it, I’ll be here, but I might not do all apparatus [after Paris].
She added: "It’s important to prepare the fans. Everybody has a future after sport, so we need to enjoy every moment."