On Friday morning (May 22.05), former gymnast Daiane dos Santos visited Flamengo's headquarters in Gávea for an exchange with the young students of the Sempre Flamengo Sports School. During the meeting, the first Brazilian gymnast to win gold at the World Championships and a member of the National Team at three Olympic Games (Athens, Beijing, and London), spoke with the children, guided movements, took photos, and signed autographs. At the end of the class, Daiane spoke about her experience at Flamengo and provided an overview of gymnastics in Brazil. See the gymnast's statements:

 

I think this encouragement is fundamental for starting sports. This contact with sports idols is crucial for children to want to evolve, to do better, and to continually improve. Flamengo has been doing this for a long time. Maintaining this tradition is essential for the maintenance of sports and the development of citizens. Children begin to develop psychomotor skills and motor coordination in a playful way. This is for the rest of their lives. To become better adults, who know how to run and who have a better quality of life. In classes, we associate movements with animals, like a butterfly stretch. It sounds like a game, but it's serious. Children can better visualize what they have to do and, through play, end up evolving in the sport.

 

I think Brazil should have more standardized gymnastics training, professionally speaking. Athletes join the national team and sometimes their performance drops significantly because they start doing routines and exercises they've never seen before. If there were better communication between the clubs and the Confederation, I believe this obstacle could be eliminated.

Overall, I see gymnastics and sport as a whole in Brazil as much more professional and evolved today. We have greater tax incentives, which have enabled the creation of highly developed training centers. I confess I'm envious of current athletes for being able to train at the new gymnastics training center. The infrastructure is incredible, and the support beyond training is essential: physiologists, nutritionists, physical therapists, and psychologists. This is crucial and greatly helps the athletes' development.

 

There are two feelings for me when we talk about the Olympics in Rio. The first is the desire to compete at home. To be able to go back in time and still be active. We got a small preview of what the games will be like when we hosted the Pan American Games here in Rio. Competing with family and friends cheering on is incredible. It's a great feeling.

The other feeling is being there as a fan, proud that our country is being represented by such great athletes, being able to comment on their performances, and seeing Brazilians embrace an event like this in the best possible way. This other side is also very gratifying and exciting.

 

I want to continue encouraging people to participate in sports. I want to continue my personal projects of gymnastics training centers for people who can't afford them. It's a truly social, inclusive approach. We already have one completed and another in the works. The idea is to expand.