It’s about having the strength not to give up, having determination and fighting until the end.’ – Rebeca Andrade had found her way to the podium 4 times in the French capital. However, she got to end her third Olympic berth in style by clinching a gold in the women’s gymnastics floor exercise finals on August 5. The 25-year-old has now wracked up 6 Olympic medals, making her the most decorated Brazilian gymnast of all time. Isn’t that something?But this didn’t come easy for the gymnast. She had been through an incredibly dark phase between 2015 and 2019. In four years, the Olympian was reeling from 3 consecutive ACL tears. From reeling in self-doubt to now having left an indelible mark in the French capital, she has come a long way. When she stood atop the podium with Simone Biles and Jordan Chiles bowing down to her, the gymnast finally knew she had achieved her full circle moment.Rebeca Andrade opened up about what that win felt like in a YouTube video titled, “REBECA ANDRADE NO MAIS VOCÊ – ENTREVISTA COMPLETA.” The host asked her who the Olympian had in her entourage. After talking about every single member, she brought up Aline Wolff, her physiologist. “When I won the first thing I did was call up my psychologist, she played a huge role in my win.” As resilient as the gymnast is, she has never shied away from admitting she needed help.While she was still healing from her gruesome injuries, Wolff was right by her side. “After my injury I was in one of the darkest phases of my career and she helped me get out of the slump. So when I picked up the win, I felt I owed her for helping me get through the tough times.” Her first injury snuck up on her in 2015. While she couldn’t compete at the World Championships that year, she returned to the mat in 2016 and represented her nation at the Rio Summer Games. Even though she didn’t return with any Olympic hardware, she was looking forward to contesting again.The injury resurfaced in 2017 during the World Championships in Montreal. Even though she was poised as the favorite for an all-around medal back then, she had to withdraw yet again. She had to take some time off for herself and was on the mend in 2018. While things were smooth sailing for a bit, determined to compete again, she decided to jump back in. But much to her dismay, she sustained her third ACL injury in 2019. After several surgeries, she refused to stay down. Instead, she chose to rise like a phoenix from the ashes.Like Simone Biles, Rebeca Andrade has a positive outlook on mental healthThe gymnastics world was heartbroken when Simone Biles had to step down from the women’s team all-around finals. She opened up about her harrowing experience in her Netflix documentary. However, she took a different approach when it came to Paris. “I saw [my therapist] about three or four times throughout [the Olympics].” Aline Wolff focuses on this aspect when it comes to Rebeca Andrade too. Speaking to Fast Company Brasil, she spills the beans on how she ensures the gymnast keeps a calm demeanor.
