A Brazilian artistic gymnast made history before her twentieth birthday. Júlia Soares helped the national team win bronze at the 2024 Paris Olympics. This medal marked Brazil’s first-ever Olympic team prize in the sport.
Her career is already filled with world-class performances. She also earned a team silver medal at the 2023 World Championships in Antwerp. These achievements place her among the country’s most accomplished young athletes.
Soares has a unique legacy beyond the podium. The International Gymnastics Federation’s Code of Points features an eponymous skill named after her. She debuted this original balance beam mount at the 2021 Pan American Championships.
Born in Curitiba in 2005, her journey began early. Inspired by her older sister, she started gymnastics at four years old. She now trains with the national team under coach Iryna Ilyashenko.
Her story is one of rapid ascent and lasting impact. From a beginner in Colombo to an Olympic medalist, she helped rewrite Brazilian gymnastics history.
Profile and Early Life of a Gymnastics Prodigy
The journey to Olympic bronze began in a small Brazilian city when a young girl followed her sister to the gym. Her early years in Colombo shaped the dedication that would define her career.
Early Beginnings and Inspiration
At age four, she entered gymnastics classes after watching her older sister Giovanna train. The natural sibling instinct to mirror everything her sister did sparked an immediate connection to the sport. Her mother enrolled her in classes in Colombo, where she began learning fundamentals.
She showed remarkable promise from the start. Daniele Hypólito, a pioneering Brazilian gymnast, became her role model as she progressed through training levels. This inspiration fueled her early development.
Family Influence and First Steps in Gymnastics
Family support was essential during her formative years. Her sister introduced her to gymnastics, while her parents committed to the travel and resources required for elite training. This foundation allowed her talent to flourish.
She trained initially at CEGIN in Curitiba before joining Esporte Clube Pinheiros. Under coach Iryna Ilyashenko’s guidance, she refined her technique on balance beam and floor exercise. Her early focus on beam work demonstrated precision and creativity.
Outside the gym, reading provided mental balance to the physical demands of training. By her early teens, she had progressed from recreational classes to national-level competition, setting her sights on representing Brazil internationally.
Achievements and Career Milestones
Her competitive record reads like a timeline of Brazilian gymnastics progress. Each year brought new accomplishments that built toward Olympic success.
Junior Gymnastics Journey and National Success
The 2018 season marked her emergence as a national force. She captured gold in the all-around and balance beam at the Brazilian Championships.
That same year, she became South American junior champion on beam. Her dominance continued through 2019 with junior national titles across multiple apparatuses.
International competition followed at the Junior World Championships. She placed seventh in the balance beam final among top global talent.
Transition to Senior Level and International Breakthroughs
Moving to senior competition in 2021 brought immediate results. The Pan American Championships yielded team gold and individual bronze on beam.
She helped secure another team gold medal at the 2022 Pan American Championships. That year also featured a memorable World Cup victory in Baku.
Her floor exercise gold at the 2023 DTB Pokal Stuttgart added to an impressive medal collection. Each championship built her reputation internationally.
| Career Phase | Year | Key Achievement | Competition Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Junior | 2018 | All-around & Beam Gold | Brazilian Championships |
| Junior | 2019 | 7th Place Beam Final | Junior World Championships |
| Senior | 2021 | Team Gold & Individual Bronze | Pan American Championships |
| Senior | 2022 | Floor Exercise Gold | Baku World Cup |
| Senior | 2023 | Floor Exercise Gold | DTB Pokal Stuttgart |
Júlia Soares: Signature Skills and Impact in Gymnastics
Precision and creativity merged at a key continental competition, resulting in a new beam mount that earned an eponymous entry in the Code of Points. This achievement represents a pinnacle of technical contribution to the sport.
The Soares Element: Eponymous Balance Beam Mount
Júlia Soares debuted her original mount at the 2021 Pan American Championships. The skill involves a flic flac with a half-turn onto the beam, finishing in a candle position.
It carries a C difficulty rating from the International Gymnastics Federation. This rating acknowledges the move’s complexity and the precision required for its execution on the balance beam.
The element’s inclusion in the official rulebook ensures her legacy within the sport’s technical fabric. It will remain for athletes to perform in future cycles.
| Skill Name | Gymnast | Apparatus | Difficulty Rating | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Soares | Júlia Soares | Balance Beam | C (0.3 pts) | Flic flac with ½ turn to candle mount |
| Bhardwaj | Mohini Bhardwaj | D (0.4 pts) | Piked sole circle backward to support |
Memorable Performances and Competition Highlights
Beyond her signature skill, Soares consistently delivered on the world stage. She was a key member of the Brazilian team that won a historic silver medal at the 2023 World Championships.
Her power and artistry on floor exercise also earned top honors. She secured gold medals at events like the Baku World Cup and the DTB Pokal Stuttgart.
These performances showcase her versatility and composure under pressure. They solidified her status as a complete and impactful gymnast.
Competitive History and Global Influence
The 2023 World Championships in Antwerp delivered a breakthrough moment for Brazilian gymnastics. Soares helped secure the nation’s first-ever team medal at this elite competition. The silver medal signaled Brazil’s arrival as a global force.
Her role on that historic team demonstrated crucial consistency. She contributed solid scores on balance beam and floor exercise during the final. This depth allowed teammates to perform at their peak.
Team Contributions and Championship Records
The Paris Olympics brought another landmark achievement. Selected for the five-member squad, she competed in qualification on balance beam and floor exercise. Her performances helped Brazil advance to the team final.
During the Olympic team final, she again delivered on both apparatuses. The Brazilian team captured bronze, their first Olympic team medal in history. This result cemented the program’s international standing.
In the individual balance beam final, she experienced the apparatus’s demanding nature. A fall during her routine resulted in a seventh-place finish. The moment highlighted the fine margins in elite competition.
Following the Games, she claimed the all-around title at the Brazilian Championships. She closed the year with strong showings at international meets in Switzerland. The Curitiba government had previously honored her achievements with the Luz dos Pinhais Municipal Order Medal.
Across multiple world championships cycles, this gymnast established herself as a reliable team contributor. Her career coincided with Brazil’s golden generation. Together they transformed the national team into consistent medal contenders.
Final Reflections and Future Prospects
The legacy of this artistic gymnast is secured not just by medals but by a permanent mark on the sport’s rulebook. Her eponymous balance beam mount ensures her influence will last for generations. This technical contribution complements the historic Olympic team bronze she helped secure for Brazil.
Júlia Soares continues to compete at the highest level. A sixth-place finish at the 2025 Szombathely World Challenge Cup preceded her scheduled appearance at the 2025 World Championships. Her consistency on the balance beam and floor exercise makes her a valuable team asset.
At just twenty years old, the potential for a run at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics remains. Her career, decorated with gold medals from the Pan American Championships, demonstrates the strength of Brazil’s gymnastics system. She has already shifted perceptions of what is possible for her nation’s teams.
Whether she continues for another cycle or not, her story inspires a new generation. From a beginner in Colombo to an Olympic medalist, she embodies the rise of Brazilian gymnastics.
