“Being a spectator is always harder than being in the gym because you don’t know what’s going to happen,” the 26-year-old said in an interview this week in The Brazilian magazine Marie Claire. “You get nervous, but at the same time I was praying and cheering so hard for the girls – for great results, and most importantly, for them to feel happy. It’s part of life.”
And while she may have embraced the role in Jakarta, Andrade says it will be short-lived as she plans to return to the big leagues next season after using 2025 to enjoy the dividends of victory and recover.
“The decision [not to compete this season] was about taking care of my health. After such a long and intense cycle – I have been doing gymnastics since I was four – I felt like I had spent a lot of time stressing my body with all the training and competitions,” explains Andrade. “It was the perfect year to take care of my body, my pain and my mind – and to come back in 2026 a better Rebeca, not only for myself but also for my team.”
From there it will be full speed ahead to what would be a fourth trip to the Olympics when they head to the United States for LA28.
Andrade says this will be her swan song… or will it?
“I hope I don’t have to think about it anymore [the end of my career]”But if in the future there is no one to perform on a device, any device, and I think my body can do it, then I will do it. But if there is no one and I feel like my body can’t handle it, then I won’t do it.”
The 2022 world all-around champion says she already has some plans and goals for her post-sports career, whenever that time comes.
“I want to study more. I would really like to be a speaker,” Andrade says. “I like to tell my story and I think I learn a lot. And people also learn a little from me. I have my dreams and plans, but I’ll keep them to myself for now.”
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