Not even the intense heat of Rio de Janeiro could dampen the enthusiasm of Flamengo's newest artistic gymnastics recruits. Before their first practice at the Cláudio Coutinho Gymnasium, Khiuani Dias and Ana Cláudia Silva met with coaches for initial instructions. They then joined the other CRFlamengo gymnasts for training and donned the red-and-black jersey for the first time.

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 "I'm very happy and I don't know what's next. It's all new to me. It's the first time I'll be living alone, away from home. It will be a huge challenge. But I'll work and dedicate myself as much as I did in Curitiba, and hopefully even better," said the shy Khiuani, just 17 years old.

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 Now under the command of coaches Viviane Cardoso and Ricardo Pereira, who guaranteed not to let things slide, the two gymnasts demonstrated rapport with their national team partners Daniele Hypólito, Jade Barbosa and Letícia Costa, as well as Gabriela Soares.

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"We'll be able to help, and I'm happy about that. It's a big adrenaline rush at first, but the adaptation will be quick, and we'll train well. We came because we believe in the club's project, which has serious people leading Olympic sports, and we're confident that this new partnership can bear much fruit," added Ana Cláudia.

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 And if it depends on the connection with their new teammates, Khiuani and Ana Cláudia could already feel at home.

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"We know perfectly well how difficult it is to be away from home. I've been there and I know how complicated it is. Wherever we go, we'll take them both with us. They'll be part of our family. We'll do everything we can to make them feel at home, and I'm sure that little by little they'll feel like us, members of the red-and-black family," said Daniele Hypolito. 

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For Flamengo's women's artistic gymnastics, Khiuani and Ana Cláudia arrive at an excellent time, since most of them are part of the Brazilian team that will possibly represent Brazil in the next Olympic Games.