Júlia Soares

Julia das Neves Botega Soares (born 23 August 2005) is a Brazilian artistic gymnast and a member of the Brazilian national gymnastics team. Soares represented her country at the 2019 Junior World Championships, where she was a finalist on the balance beam. She made her international senior debut at the 2021 Pan American Championships where she helped Brazil win the team gold, and also took an individual bronze medal on the balance beam. She debuted a new skill, a candle mount with a half twist on the balance beam, which was named after her in the Code of Points. She was part of the silver medal-winning Brazilian team at the 2023 World Championships, and of the bronze medal-winning team at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Early life

Soares was born on 23 August 2005 in Curitiba, and grew up in nearby Colombo. She took up gymnastics at age four, inspired by her older sister Giovanna. Her role model in gymnastics is fellow Brazilian artistic gymnast Daniele Hypólito.

Junior gymnastics career

2018

In April 2018, Soares competed at the City of Jesolo Trophy in Italy, contributing to Brazil’s seventh place finish. She then won gold in the all-around and on the balance beam at the Brazilian Championships. In October 2018, she became the South American junior champion on the balance beam. At the Brazilian Junior Championships, she placed third in the all-around and won the gold on the balance beam, also taking the silver on vault, bars and floor.

2019

In 2019, Soares placed fifth in the all-around at the Brazilian Event Championships, and took the bronze in both the balance beam and the floor exercise finals in a field of mixed junior and senior competitors. Soares was selected to the Brazilian team for the 2019 Junior World Championships alongside Ana Luiza Lima and Christal Bezerra. She placed 15th in the individual all-around and contributed to the Brazilian team’s seventh place finish in a field of 29 teams. She also qualified to the balance beam final, where she finished seventh. Soares went on to compete at the Brazilian Championships, becoming the junior national champion in the all-around as well as on the balance beam and on the floor exercise.

At the 2019 South American Junior Championships in Cali, Colombia, Soares earned the bronze medal in the all-around, the silver on beam, gold on floor, and contributed to the Brazilian team’s second place finish behind Argentina. She finished her 2019 season by winning four gold medals at the Brazilian Junior Championships.

Senior gymnastics career

2021

Soares began competing as a senior in 2021. At the 2021 Pan American Championships held in Rio de Janeiro, she helped Brazil win the gold medal in the team final, and also earned an individual bronze in the balance beam final. In addition, Soares performed a candle mount with a half twist on the balance beam, which was named after her in the Code of Points, as she was the first gymnast to successfully perform the skill at an FIG international competition.

2022

At the 2022 Pan American Championships Soares helped the Brazilian team win gold and qualify to the World Championships in Liverpool. In September, she competed in the South American Games, in which she won the gold medal in team and all-around finals, in addition to balance beam and floor exercise.

2023

At the DTB Pokal Stuttgart, Soares won the gold medal on floor exercise. In October, Soares competed at the World Championships along with teammates Rebeca Andrade, Jade Barbosa, Lorrane Oliveira and Flávia Saraiva. The team took the silver medal behind the United States — Brazil's first team medal in World Championship history. Later that month, Soares competed at the Pan American Games, where the Brazilian team once again took silver behind the United States. Individually, she finished fourth in the floor final.

2024

Soares competed at the 2024 City of Jesolo Trophy where she helped Brazil place second behind Italy; individually she won gold on floor exercise, tied with Flávia Saraiva and Manila Esposito. At the Brazil Trophy she won silver on balance beam.

Soares was selected to represent Brazil at the 2024 Olympic Games alongside Rebeca Andrade, Flávia Saraiva, Lorrane Oliveira, and Jade Barbosa. During the qualification round Soares competed on balance beam and floor exercise, helping Brazil qualify to the team final. Individually she qualified to the balance beam final and was the second reserve for the floor exercise final. During the team final she competed once again on balance beam and floor exercise, helping Brazil win the bronze medal, their first Olympic team medal in history. During the balance beam final Soares fell off the apparatus and finished seventh.

After the Olympic Games Soares competed at the Brazilian Championships where she placed first. She finished out the year competing at the Arthur Gander Memorial, where she placed third behind Kaylia Nemour and Karina Schönmaier, and the Swiss Cup where she was partnered with Caio Souza. The pair finished the competition in fourth place.

Eponymous skills

Soares has a balance beam mount named after her in the Code of Points.

Competitive history

References

External links

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Soares, Julia
2005 births
Brazilian female artistic gymnasts
Competitors at the 2022 South American Games
Gymnasts at the 2023 Pan American Games
Gymnasts at the 2024 Summer Olympics
Living people
Medalists at the 2023 Pan American Games
Medalists at the 2024 Summer Olympics
Medalists at the World Artistic Gymnastics Championships
Olympic bronze medalists for Brazil
Olympic gymnasts for Brazil
Olympic medalists in gymnastics
Originators of elements in artistic gymnastics
Pan American Games silver medalists in gymnastics
Pan American Games silver medalists for Brazil
South American Games gold medalists for Brazil
South American Games medalists in gymnastics
Sportspeople from Curitiba
Gymnasts from Paraná (state)
21st-century Brazilian sportswomen
Esporte Clube Pinheiros sportspeople