There was Rebeca's Ball in Liverpool, and it was a golden ball! This Thursday, the 23-year-old Flamengo player won Brazil's first gold medal in the individual all-around at the Artistic Gymnastics World Championships. The Olympic champion made history by becoming the first Brazilian world champion in the sport's most traditional event. Rebeca is the new world number one.

With 56,899 points, Rebeca was brilliant in Thursday's final. She was in the lead at the end of every rotation. The Gávea native's talent is so great that she gained a one-and-a-half-point lead over American Shilese Jones, who took silver—a difference greater than a single fall. Britain's Jessica Gadirova took bronze (55,199).

Rebeca broke the dominance of the United States, Russia, and Romania, making Brazil only the eighth country with a most complete gymnast title at a World Championships. Jade Barbosa had already won bronze in 2007, but topping the podium is a first for Brazil.

Rebeca Andrade started on vault. The Olympic champion scored 15.166 points. Next, she moved on to the uneven bars. The Brazilian made a few mistakes, but earned a 13.800 from the judges. In the third rotation, Rebeca Andrade opened the apparatus and scored 13.533 points. In the final rotation, the floor exercise, her Baile de Favela, was all that was missing for her to win. She shone, sending the crowd into a frenzy, and earned 14.400 points for a total of 56.899.

"This medal represents all the work I've done, the work of the multidisciplinary team, and the girls on the team who support me. I'm very proud of myself and all the girls. I know how hard we've worked to be here. It's a huge honor. I'm very happy with my progress as an athlete," she celebrated.

Winner of two medals at the Tokyo Olympics, Rebeca increased her World Championship medal collection to three – she won the vault and the uneven bars silver last year. And she'll return to the Liverpool arena to pursue three more podium finishes this weekend, on bars, beam, and floor.