Aly Raisman was just 22-years-old when the then-19-year-old Simone Biles started calling her ‘Grandma’. But the latter is now 27-years-old and jokingly admitted, “Like, I’m ancient now … Forget grandma, we’re past that.” She even became the oldest female gymnast to win Olympic all-around gold, also claiming gold in the team and vault events and silver in the floor exercise. However, she isn’t the only older gymnast making waves. Ever heard of Ana Filipa da Silva Martins?

After nearly 11 years of dedicated service to gymnastics, Ana Filipa da Silva Martins has decided to bid farewell to the sport. At the Paris Olympics, the Portuguese gymnast represented her national colors for the final time. Though the top podium in the women’s all-around final eluded her, she secured 18th place with a score of 53.166.

On the uneven bars, she scored 13.800, finishing ahead of Flavia Saraiva, of Brazil. Her performance on the balance beam was equally notable, though she landed in 49th place with a score of 12.600, edging out Melanie De Jesus Dos Santos in a tight competition. Despite a close finish in the floor exercise, where Melanie ranked 41st and Filipa Martins 42nd, the latter decided to retire with pride.

The 28-year-old took to Instagram to share a heartfelt tribute to her gymnastics journey. Accompanied by a nostalgic visual of her growth in the sport, she wrote, “24 years of career 🥹 One of the most beautiful stages of my life has come to an end 🤍 a beautiful sports story 🤩 Now it’s time for new adventures, and to plan a beautiful future🫶🏼 THANK YOU ❤️.”

In Paris, Filipa Martins stood as the sole Portuguese representative in women’s artistic gymnastics, and her efforts did not go unnoticed in her home country.

Luis Arrais, chief of the national gymnastics body, hailed her achievements by stating, “Filipa has put in a lot of work, great will, great motivation, and a great spirit of sacrifice. It’s huge. An achievement that has been desired for decades and that has finally happened.”

Her journey also reminds us of Becky Downie, the British gymnast, who at 32, has been a key leader for her team. Regardless, Filipa Martins’s fans gave her the flowers she deserved.

On a memorable day in gymnastics, rivals came together to wish each other luck!

In her long gymnastics career, Filipa Martins accumulated many rivals, becoming a standout figure in the European circuit. But on her penultimate day, the usual competition was replaced by heartfelt messages from those she’d faced on the mat. Hilary Heron, a Panamanian competitor who finished 44th in Paris, took to Filipa’s Instagram to share her admiration: “Wowwwwwwwwwwww what an amazing career 😍😍 I wish you the best in this new stage you start!! Thank you for all the teachings you’ve taught me 🫶🏽🫶🏽 you’re amazing!!! 🥰🥰🥰🥰”

Martins’s career was not an easy one. She didn’t just have a long career, but also a journey riddled with painful injuries; Specifically, her right ankle. In 2011, she had to undergo surgery on her right ankle. Then in 2016, she underwent two more surgeries on the same ankle and 2018 was a similar story.

But thanks to her long career, she created history in her country. After qualifying for the 2024 Paris Olympics, she became the first Portuguese gymnast to qualify for three Olympic seasons (2016, 2020, 2024) since Esbela da Fonseca (1960, 1964, and 1968).

Filipa Martins’s fans also responded with admiration, celebrating her remarkable career.

• “What a career she had! And definitely ended on a high note after an historic performance at Paris. Hope nothing but the best for her future!”
• “Aw. I was hoping for a few more years, but I’m glad she’s retiring on her own terms, after an amazing Olympic experience.” 

Did you know that in Rio (2016), Filipa Martins earned Portugal’s best all-around result in the Games’s history after finishing 37th in qualifications? Clearly, she has done a lot for a sport that is almost invisible in her country.

One of her biggest contributions to the sport was in 2021. That year, the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) decided to add her original skill ‘The Martins’ on the uneven bars to its Code of Points. The gymnast had performed it at the European Championships in Basel, Switzerland (2021).

No wonder, a fan celebrated her consistency: “THREE Olympic Games is an incredible accomplishment especially in gymnastics. I wish her all the future happiness.”

As Filipa Martins transitions to the next stage of her life, she hopes to stay connected to the sport and get into coaching. “I’d like to keep on being linked to it, maybe as a coach. Gymnastics is my passion, what I like to do the most.”