Brazil takes silver at the Pan-American and secures a spot at the gymnastics World Championship
The Brazilian women’s artistic gymnastics team finished in second place at the Pan-American Championship held on Wednesday (the 17th) in Rio de Janeiro, with 157.796 points. The result did more than guarantee a medal: it delivered direct qualification for the 2026 World Championship in the Netherlands and marked Rebeca Andrade’s official return to competition after a year away from the floor.
Rotation by rotation: where Brazil grew and where it slipped
The green-and-yellow team, made up of Julia Soares, Gabriela Barbosa, Gabriela Bouças, Sophia Weisberg, Thaís Fidélis and Rebeca Andrade, entered the uneven bars with consistency. Sophia Weisberg drew a reaction from the Rio crowd with her routine, but it was Bouças who closed the rotation as Brazil’s main highlight on the apparatus.
On the beam, the picture was mixed. Thaís Fidélis delivered a routine secure enough to momentarily take the overall lead of the competition. Julia Soares also did well. Sophia, on the other hand, suffered a fall and gave up important points at a decisive stage. It was on the floor that Fidélis shone again – she posted the best Brazilian score on the apparatus and kept the team in contention for the podium before the final rotation.
The vault was left for last. And with it, the most eagerly awaited moment of the afternoon.
Rebeca is back – and stuck the landing
Absent from championships throughout 2025, Rebeca Andrade returned to competition exactly the way the fans hoped. She nailed the vault landing and scored 14.549, the best mark of the entire competition on the apparatus. No other gymnast came close. Thaís Fidélis and Gabriela Bouças had their scores compromised by falls on one of the vaults, but Sophia Weisberg also managed a good routine to hold up the team’s total.
The greatest Olympic medalist in Brazil’s history did not just come back – she came back as a protagonist. For those who followed last season without her, it was a relief with a top score.
A runner-up finish with purpose: the eye is already on Los Angeles
At the end of the four rotations, the United States took gold with 161.628 points. Brazil finished 3.8 points behind – a manageable gap, considering the falls that cost the team points. Canada finished third, with 156.997, and Brazil’s advantage over the Canadians was built especially on the beam and the floor.
The 2026 Pan-American runs until June 21 and still has the apparatus finals in store, where Brazil should feature strongly. But the main objective has already been met: the spot at the World Championship in the Netherlands is secured, and the team took a concrete step in building the Olympic cycle pointing toward Los Angeles 2028. With Rebeca back and a team that shows solidity even on imperfect days, the path has more foundation than uncertainty.
