Sportv 3 broadcasts the subdivisions of Brazil live this Friday, starting at 5 p.m.

+ See where to watch and the schedule at the Gymnastics Pan
+ Rebeca challenges Pan sans Baile from Favela: “The athlete is not a robot”

Stars of the Americas in Rio

Olympic and world champion, Rebeca Andrade is the biggest star of Pan do Rio. Arthur Zanetti and Arthur Nory are the other two Olympic medalists in the competition. Brazil will also have Flávia Saraiva, Lorrane Oliveira, Carolyne Pedro, Júlia Soares and Christal Bezerra in the women’s squad, and Caio Souza, Diogo Soares, Lucas Bitencourt and Patrick Sampaio.

Even without Olympic medalists, the United States and Canada also have strong teams. On the men’s side, the Americans have maintained the base of the Tokyo Olympics and have two World Cup medalists: Yul Moldauer and Brody Malone. The Americans have a renewed group as usual in a post-Olympic year and will be led by Kayla DiCello, bronze in the all-around at the last Worlds. Canadian Shallon Olsen completes the list of world medalists at Pan do Rio.

Brazil’s goal for the Paris Olympics is to win both the men’s and women’s teams, which only happened at Rio 2016. For that, the Pan in Rio is the first step. The tournament will qualify the top five women’s teams and the top four men’s teams for the Liverpool World Cup at the end of October. The medal-winning teams in England are already guaranteed at Paris 2024, while the finalists confirm their presence at the 2023 World Cup, when the last Olympic team places will be distributed.

If Brazil are not finalists at this year’s World Cup, they can still qualify for the 2023 World Cup at next year’s Pan American Championship.

– This competition is valid for the place for the Worlds. And the World Cup is valid for the next World Cup, and the next World Cup for the Olympic Games. So these are very important competitions. We take advantage of each competition to prepare a lot. Now at Pan we are preparing and competing well for the next Worlds. It’s always one day at a time – said Rebeca Andrade.

There is also the possibility of an individual ranking of gymnasts if Brazil does not secure the team spot at the Paris Olympics. The 2023 World Cup, 2024 World Cup Circuit and 2024 Pan Am Championship served as pre-Olympic events for these individual spots.

Brazil will defend the team title also won in Rio last year, for both men and women. This time, however, the race is expected to be fiercer for gold. The United States is determined to regain hegemony in the Americas. The American women’s team did not even participate in the Pan 2021 because they already had the maximum Olympic places in Tokyo at the time, now they want to show the strength of the revival of the group. On the men’s side, the Americans competed with a B team last year and are now with Liverpool’s best World Cup roster.

– From what I can see, the level of competition is very high. I think our main opponents are the United States, Canada and Colombia. They are very good and they came with good athletes, but we also came with a very good team – said Zanetti.

Despite the American favoritism, Brazil has a good chance of reaching the podium and even of fighting for gold. The men’s group is experienced and includes medalists and finalists at the Olympics and Worlds. The Brazilian women’s team misses Jade Barbosa, but is led by Rebeca Andrade and Flávia Saraiva in a mix between experienced gymnasts and the new generation.

– We expect a very high level. We trained very hard to stand out on certain devices, as a team too. I think the Americans are very strong, the Canadians are doing well for the fight, but we are coming. We will fight to earn our place, and the results will be a consequence – said Flávia Saraiva.

Canada should be one more country to fight for the podium in both men and women. Colombia emerge as medal contenders on the men’s side, while Argentina and Mexico have chances on the women’s side.

pan gymnastics schedule

Friday (07/15)
8:30 a.m. – 10:05 a.m. – Women’s Subdivision 1 – United States and Panama
8:50 a.m. – 11:10 a.m. – Subdivision 1 men – Colombia and Cuba
11:10 a.m. – 12:45 p.m. – Women’s Subdivision 2 – Cuba, Jamaica and Puerto Rico
11:30 am – 1:50 pm – Subdivision 2 Men – Dominican Republic
14:20 – 15:55 – Subdivision 3 Women – Chile, Venezuela and Colombia
2:40 – 5:00 – 3-man subdivision – Canada, USA and Puerto Rico
17:00 – 18:34 – Women’s Subdivision 4 – BrazilArgentina, Canada and Mexico (sportv 3)
17:20 – 19:40 – Men’s Subdivision 4 – Venezuela, Chile and Argentina (sportv 3)
8:00 p.m. – 10:15 p.m. – Male Subdivision 5 – Brazil and Mexico (sportv 3)