Rebeca Andrade continues her comeback at 2026 Brazilian Championships in Brasília; vault gold at Pan Ams signals Olympic potential.

Rebeca Andrade continues her comeback at the 2026 Brazilian Championships

The most decorated Olympian in Brazil’s history returned in June at the Pan American Championships and now competes for Flamengo in Brasília, a tune-up for October’s worlds in the Netherlands.

Paris 2024 floor champion Rebeca Andrade could not have asked for a better return.

The most decorated Olympian in Brazilian history won vault gold – on the only apparatus she contested – and team silver at June’s Pan American Championships in Rio de Janeiro, her first artistic gymnastics competition in nearly two years.

“I felt all the energy from the crowd again, everyone shouting our names, mine and the girls’, and it was really cool,” Andrade told Olympics.com.

It was the start of another “Olympic dream,” as she put it, after almost two years away.

Andrade came off a hugely successful cycle following Paris.

Before starting the next one, she took time to enjoy family, home and friends – without stepping away from training entirely.

“During the break, I was a lot more relaxed about my responsibilities at the gym. I’d wake up, and there were days I’d come to the gym and train normally, other days I wouldn’t, but I always kept up the physiotherapy,” she recalled. “I got to travel more and be with my family and my friends, my dogs, private moments.”

The comeback is gradual. The gold in Rio only sharpened her appetite.

“The Pan Ams gave me even more desire to come back and to know that I can be on top of the podium,” she said. “It lights that fire to want to train more.”

Among this year’s goals is the World Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Rotterdam (17-25 October), which hand out three team quota places for the Olympic Games LA28 . In the Netherlands, her coach Francisco Porath is planning to have her back on beam.

“He understood that it was fine if this was a year in which I went back to doing my beam. We know that if I do it properly, it’s a good beam – strong, safe and calmer for me to come back on,” Andrade said of the apparatus. “Now I’m slowly going back to doing a bit more beam, [putting in] an element here and there, little by little, no rush. I think it’s been essential and it’s what’s making it work.”

Before Rotterdam, the next stop comes in front of a home crowd: the Brazilian Artistic Gymnastics Championships, from 7-9 August in the capital, Brasília.

“The worlds are very important and we know that. So being there at the Brazilian Championships is essential for us, for the preparation,” said Andrade, who competes for Flamengo. “It’s always good to have a few competitions beforehand to be able to control the body and the mind. Because every competition prepares us for what’s coming, for the more important competitions too.”

“I really want to go to another Olympics with the team”

Andrade reaffirmed her desire to compete at LA28.

“I really want to go to another Olympics with the team. I want to help them a lot and change my bars routine to have the chance at a final and, who knows, to be a medallist,” she told Olympics.com.

Uneven bars is her favourite apparatus, but Porath is staying cautious with his gymnast there.

“[On bars] we’re going to hold back a bit because we want to change some things, and training the old routine while chasing a new one is very draining for her,” the coach said.

“Meanwhile we’re getting her ready to do beam, and next year, yes – beam, bars and vault. We definitely want her ready by then,” he added.

Brazilian Championships bring together the country’s elite

The 2026 Brazilian Artistic Gymnastics Championships run at the Nilson Nelson Gymnasium in Brasília from 7-9 August, Friday through Sunday.

The competition gathers the country’s top clubs and their gymnasts – among them Andrade, Lorrane Oliveira , Flávia Saraiva , Arthur Nory , Caio Souza and Diogo Soares .

Fans will also get an early look at the season’s new material. Saraiva, for one, debuts a new floor routine in the capital, set to the music of Ney Matogrosso and Luiz Gonzaga.

Friday settles the all-around and team titles, with the apparatus finals to follow on Saturday and Sunday.

By Virgílio Franceschi Neto Sheila Vieira