Rebeca Andrade Wins Brazil’s First-Ever Gold in Women’s Gymnastics in Tokyo Games Vault Competition

2020 Tokyo Games

Rebeca Andrade has soared into the annals of Brazilian sports history yet again…

The 22-year-old Brazilian gymnast, who’d already made history by winning Brazil’s first female Olympic medal in gymnastics in the all-around competition, won the gold medal in the women’s vault competition at the 2020 Tokyo Games.

Rebeca Andrade

Andrade put together a pair of soaring vaults to post an average of 15.083 to win the competition.

Andrade’s score held off Team USA‘s MyKayla Skinner, who averaged 14.916. South Korea’s Yeo Seojeong was the bronze medallist with 14.733.

Rebeca Andrade

Andrade’s gold is the first ever for Brazil in women’s gymnastics at the Summer Games. Arthur Zanetti is the only other Brazilian to win artistic gymnastics gold.

“I feel so overwhelmed, happy,” Andrade told Olympics.com after her win. “I’m feeling incredible.”

Rebeca Andrade

Andrade came to Tokyo looking strong, debuting a Cheng vault (round off on the board, half turn on the vaulting table, front one-and-a-half twist) during the qualifying rounds.

In Sunday’s apparatus final, Andrade brought back her difficult two-and-a-half twisting vault to win gold.

Andrade’s injuries kept her out of the 2019 World Championships. It was the first of a series of mishaps for Brazil, which, then, failed to qualify a full team to the Tokyo Games.

Andrade only secured her quota spot for the Olympic Games on June 6, after winning the all-around at the Pan Am Championships in Rio.

Rebeca Andrade

“First, thank you God!” Andrade said in a post on Instagram after punching her Olympic ticket. “Thank you all… thanks for all the positive energy, thanks for believing in me at all costs… I just have to thank you, really!!!”

Sunday, Andrade couldn’t believe her success.

“I don’t know… reaching the podium… I didn’t imagine that I would return doing all these vaults, improving my first vault,” she said. “It’s been a huge pride for me because I saw how much I’ve grown, I’ve matured, and it’s really good”

Laurie Hernandez to Appear in Peacock’s Women’s Gymnastics-Themed Docuseries “Golden”

Laurie Hernandez is golden

The 20-year-old Puerto Rican Olympic gold medal gymnast and Dancing with the Stars champion will appear on Golden, a docuseries about women’s gymnasts vying for a spot on the U.S. team heading to the Tokyo Olympics.

Laurie Hernandez

The six-episode series, which hails from Peacock and LeBron James and Maverick Carter’s Uninterrupted will track five hopefuls competing for four spots on the U.S. Olympic team.

A premiere date hasn’t yet been confirmed for the show, which is part of a broad array of live and on-demand Tokyo programming heading to NBCUniversal platforms.

In addition to Hernandez, the series also features Morgan HurdSunisa LeeKonnor McClain, and MyKayla Skinner.

A major theme will be the coronavirus pandemic, which forced the postponement of the Games from 2020 to 2021 and also dramatically altered athletes’ preparations and training.

Each hour-long episode of Golden will center on one of the individual gymnasts, with storylines of the other competitors woven into the narrative.

Hernandez is known to Olympic viewers for winning a gold medal as a member of the “Final Five” team and an individual silver on beam at the 2016 Rio Olympics.

The series will cover a five-month span and milestones like national team training camps, the U.S. Gymnastics Championships, and the U.S. Olympic Team Trials, which start June 24.

Three-time Olympian Dominique Dawes is executive producing, along with James, Carter and Uninterrupted’s Jamal Henderson and Philip Byron.

“When I look back, I remember the tremendous sacrifice it took me to achieve my own Olympic pursuits,” Dawes said. “Similarly, these gymnasts have and will continue to endure physical, emotional and mental hurdles that most cannot fathom. The millions of viewers who watch the Summer Games are accustomed to witnessing the short-lived glory of the podium without truly understanding the demands these young female athletes face.”