New Faces: Rebeca Andrade (BRA)

Rebeca Andrade is one of Brazil's bright hopes training for the 2016 Olympics, which will be held in her home country. She is currently a junior and has won serveral competitions including the Brazil Trophy and the Nadia Comaneci Invitational this year and the 2012 South American Championships. She is an incredibly strong gymnast and shows impressive tumbling with good height, not unlike Daiane dos Santos, who was a World Champion on floor back in 2003.

Rebeca at the Nadia Comaneci Invitational this year (Photo credit: gymblogbrazil.com.br)

She is a good all-arounder, which is great for Brazil as they look for new talent heading into the 2016 Rio Olympics. With the move of Aliya Mustafina's coach Alexandrov to Brazil, Rebeca and the other girls on their national team will hopefully receive the coaching that they need to perform well. After a disappointing qualifications round at the 2012 Olympics, where Brazil failed to qualify for the team final, they will be looking to make that final in 2016.

Below is Andrade's floor routine from the Nadia Comaneci Invitational. She shows great amplitude in both her tumbling and leaps, and has great control over her landings. Her choreography is very age-appropriate and she expresses herself well. 

Andrade's 2013 floor routine

She is also powerful on vault and competes a DTY with ease. She is also training an amanar, which will help her very much as an all-around gymnast.

Rebeca training an amanar in Brazil- looks ok to me!

Also linked is her beam routine from the Brazil Trophy this year. She is comfortable with her routine and has a good repertoire of skills, with clean execution, not to mention good flexibility. This girl is definitely going to be one to watch over the next quad! 

Article by Imogen Browne (Follow me on Twitter @iflip4gymblog)