The childhood of gold (and silver) medalist Rebeca Andrade, 22, the youngest of Rosa's first marriage, 50, was marked by the difficulties faced by her mother.
According to Rosa, Rebeca started to crawl at the same time she learned to climb the bunk ladder to jump on the mattress. At two years old, she could barely walk but was already doing cartwheels; at three, she did them without her hands.
She was a very affectionate girl who liked to hold hands and talk to her siblings. She had, remembers her mother, lots of energy.
Rosa's sister took her children to a test at the Bonifácio Cardoso gymnasium, where she worked. She also took Rebeca, who, at the age of four, impressed the teachers.
One day, Emerson, Rebeca's brother, saw a bicycle in the junkyard while he was taking his youngest daughter to train on foot. He talked to the landfill owner and managed to exchange cans for parts, with which he renovated the bike, which became a means of transport.
While watching her daughter shine, Rosa says that seeing her in Japan is “a slap in the face for many people” who did not believe that a working mother could raise five children.
Today, she has three more children, and her husband is a present father.
Translated by Kiratiana Freelon