Flamengo fan Jade Barbosa was the guest on FlaTV's 'Virtual Chat', which aired last Thursday (28). The gymnast recalled her trajectory in the sport and highlighted some changes in physical preparation during the period of social distancing. Check out excerpts:

First contact with the club
"I joined Flamengo when I was 5 years old, and I remember that day exactly. Before arriving, I took two trial classes at a club in Copacabana. The instructor told my mother that I had a great body type for the sport and that he would recommend me to train at Flamengo. So she took me to Gávea, and as soon as I arrived, I noticed that the gym was packed, with girls everywhere. And sure enough, the coaches told me I had the body type for a gymnast and that they would put me on the pre-team."

Memorable moments at Flamengo
"I'm very grateful to Flamengo because it's much more than a club to me. It's where I've lived my life, much more than my own home. I remember when we returned from the 2007 Pan American Games, a historic moment for Brazilian artistic gymnastics, Flamengo had many medal-winning athletes. So, as soon as the competition ended, we went to Maracanã to watch Mengão play. During halftime, when we walked onto the field, a video of gymnastics footage came on the big screen, and all the medal-winning athletes appeared. I was very emotional because I had never felt such great love."

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"I think the year that turned the corner for me as a world-class athlete was 2007, at the Pan American Games in Rio de Janeiro. That year, Brazilian gymnastics had excellent, even unexpected, results. That was when the sport opened its doors to the world; we were highly recognized in both national and international championships. That same year, Brazil achieved an unprecedented result, finishing fifth in the world, which to this day remains our highest placing. I won a bronze medal at the World Championships, competing in the individual all-around, which is one of the most challenging categories in gymnastics. So, it was a year that artistic gymnastics became a more popular sport."

Quarantine training
"I've been recovering from knee surgery for five months. I had a very good recovery before the quarantine. When this social isolation began, we didn't know exactly how long it would last. So, I actually have a training plan, both for the club and for the Brazilian national team. There's a schedule I should follow, Monday through Saturday, with a training routine that includes some exercises that physiotherapy and physical conditioning recommended. I also received some equipment to help me work more efficiently at home."

Click here and watch the full interview on FlaTV.


The artistic gymnastics teams of Clube de Regatas do Flamengo rely on resources from their sponsors – AmBev, Rede D'or, IRB Brasil RE, CSN, Brasil Plural, EY – via the Federal Incentive Law/Ministry of Sports (IR), in addition to support from the Brazilian Committee of Clubs (CBC) resulting from the decentralization of resources originating from the Pelé Law.