Rebeca Andrade’s journey from humble beginnings to becoming Brazil’s most decorated Olympian is a testament to her resilience and dedication. Starting gymnastics at age 4, she quickly advanced to elite training by age 9, despite the challenges of getting to the gym. Now, her hard work has clearly paid off, not only in her gymnastics success but also in her impact beyond the sport.

Rebeca Andrade recently featured in the October 2024 edition of Vogue Brazil, which highlights her transition from a humble background to the launchpad of superstardom. There was a time when she needed assistance from her neighbors and acquaintances to keep pursuing gymnastics, given the dearth of finances at home. Her mother was a single parent who worked as a maid and had 8 children in the house to raise.

Andrade shared with Vogue that her gymnastics earnings allowed her to achieve two significant goals: securing her mother’s health and purchasing her first home in Recreio dos Bandeirantes, Rio de Janeiro. She has lived in the home with her dogs for less than a year, but emotionally, she views it as her greatest accomplishment.

“It was the first thing I had in my name, really mine, you know?” Rebeca Andrade’s happiness knew no bounds the day this materialized. In fact, it did make her emotional for a bit, “I remember that when everything went well, I cried and gave thanks.” Given the rough times she’s seen as a child, this feat felt settling, for she knew, “it was with my money, my sweat, and my work.”

Once on the near edge of poverty, she now has it all— fame, security, affluence. But, the 6-time Olympic medalist Rebeca Andrade, does not take any of it for granted. No wonder, despite it being a gated and protected community, she has her precious possessions, her medals nestled away in safety, “I don’t want to rely on luck,” she says. Her disbelief seems natural, for she never had it easy.

From slum to an apartment, Rebeca Andrade’s resilient climb

Rebeca Andrade’s earliest memory of a home would be the favela in Sao Paulo, where she grew up with her siblings and shared bunk beds. For context, favelas are crowded slums and theirs was located on the outskirts of the city. A single-roomed house with just one bathroom, a lot of the time they relied on borrowed money or donated stuff to meet ends.

In fact, given the circumstances, getting to the gym was often a challenge. Her brother would either fix an old motorbike to take her to training, or her mother would give up her bus pass so Rebeca could use it. Naturally, buying her own house gave her a deep sense of “having made it.”

Today, Rebeca Andrade’s net worth is estimated at $ 1.5 million, with sizeable endorsements in her pocket. And as per reports, her Paris stint left her with a whopping sum of money, thanks to the Brazilian Olympic Committee that paid BRL 350,000 (USD 62,300) for every gold medal, BRL 210,000 for a silver, and BRL 140,000 for a bronze. But nothing tops the feeling of owning her own house at 25. What do you think of her feat? Spare a few minutes to let us know below!