Julia Soares

{{Infobox gymnast

| name = Julia Soares

| image = Julia Soares, August 2024.jpg

| image_size =

| caption = Soares in August 2024

| full_name = Julia das Neves Botega Soares

| nickname = Juju

| country = {{BRA}}

| formercountry =

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|2005|8|23}}

| birth_place = Curitiba, Brazil

| height =

| weight =

| discipline = WAG

| natlteam = 2018–present (BRA)

| club = Esporte Clube Pinheiros (ECP){{cite web |title=A ginástica do Pinheiros ganha uma estrela: Júlia Soares |url=https://www.ecp.org.br/a-ginastica-do-pinheiros-ganha-uma-estrela-julia-soares/ |website=Esporte Clube Pinheiros |access-date=17 March 2025 |language=pt}}{{cite web |title=Júlia Soares: "É um grande desafio vestir a camisa do Pinheiros" |url=https://www.ecp.org.br/julia-soares-e-um-grande-desafio-vestir-a-camisa-do-pinheiros/ |website=Esporte Clube Pinheiros |access-date=17 March 2025 |language=pt}}

| gym =

| collegeteam =

| headcoach = Iryna Ilyashenko

| assistcoach = Caroline Molinari

| formercoach =

| choreographer =

| music =

| eponymousskills =

| retired =

| show-medals = yes

| medaltemplates = {{MedalSport|Women's artistic gymnastics}}

{{MedalCountry|{{BRA}}}}

File:Olympic rings.svg

{{MedalCount

|Apparatus World Cup|1|0|0}}

}}

Julia das Neves Botega Soares (born 23 August 2005) is a Brazilian artistic gymnast and a member of the Brazilian national gymnastics team.{{cite web|url=https://www.cbginastica.com.br/selecao-gin-artistica-fem|title=SELEÇÃO GINÁSTICA ARTÍSTICA FEMININA|work=Brazilian Gymnastics Federation (CBG)|language=Portuguese|accessdate=June 9, 2021|archive-date=June 29, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140629034820/http://cbginastica.com.br/selecao-gin-artistica-fem|url-status=dead}} Soares represented her country at the 2019 Junior World Championships, where she was a finalist on the balance beam.{{cite web|url=https://www.gymnastics.sport/asset.php?id=fidb_8363|title=1st FIG Artistic Gymnastics Junior World Championships – Results Book|work=International Gymnastics Federation (FIG)|accessdate=June 9, 2021}} 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.{{cite web|url=https://www.cbginastica.com.br/noticia/1640/rebeca_conquista_vaga_para_os_jogos_olimpicos_de_toquio|title=REBECA CONQUISTA VAGA PARA OS JOGOS OLÍMPICOS DE TÓQUIO|work=Brazilian Gymnastics Federation (CBG)|language=Portuguese|date=June 6, 2021}} 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.{{cite web|url=https://www.cbginastica.com.br/noticia/1642/julia_soares_prestes_a_homologar_elemento_com_seu_nome_no_codigo_da_fig|title= JÚLIA SOARES PRESTES A HOMOLOGAR ELEMENTO COM SEU NOME NO CÓDIGO DA FIG|work= Brazilian Gymnastics Federation (CBG)|language=Portuguese|date=June 7, 2021}} 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.{{cite web|url= https://esportealternativo.com.br/ginastica/ginastica-artistica/thais-fidelis-e-ana-luiza-lima-brilham-no-brasileiro-de-especialistas.html|title= Thais Fidélis e Ana Luiza Lima brilham no Brasileiro de Especialistas|work=Esporte Alternativo|language=Portuguese|date=August 18, 2018}} Her role model in gymnastics is fellow Brazilian artistic gymnast Daniele Hypólito.{{cite web|url= https://www.gymnastics.sport/site/athletes/bio_detail.php?id=44805&type=licence|title=SOARES Julia – FIG Athlete Profile|work= International Gymnastics Federation (FIG)|date=June 6, 2019}}

Career

=Junior=

=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.{{cite web|url= https://thegymter.net/julia-soares/|title=Julia Soares – Competition Results|work=The Gymternet|date=11 January 2020 |accessdate=June 10, 2021}}

=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.{{cite web|url= https://thegymter.net/2019/06/05/the-junior-world-championships-womens-master-team-list/|title= The Junior World Championships Women's Master Team List|work=The Gymternet|date=June 5, 2019}} 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.

{{multiple image

| total_width = 750

| image1 = 2019-06-30 1st FIG Artistic Gymnastics JWCH Women's Apparatus finals Balance beam (Martin Rulsch) 482.jpg

| caption1 =

| image2 = 2019-06-30 1st FIG Artistic Gymnastics JWCH Women's Apparatus finals Balance beam (Martin Rulsch) 492.jpg

| caption2 =

| image3 = 2019-06-30 1st FIG Artistic Gymnastics JWCH Women's Apparatus finals Balance beam (Martin Rulsch) 508.jpg

| caption3 =

| image4 = 2019-06-30 1st FIG Artistic Gymnastics JWCH Women's Apparatus finals Balance beam (Martin Rulsch) 490.jpg

| caption4 =

| footer_align = center

| footer = Soares competing in the balance beam final at the 2019 Junior World Championships

| caption_align = center

| align = center

}}

=Senior=

=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.{{cite web|url=https://thegymter.net/2023/03/20/2023-dtb-pokal-team-challenge-results/|title=2023 DTB Pokal Team Challenge Results|date=March 20, 2023|work=The Gymternet}} 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.{{cite web|url= https://gymnastics-now.com/united-states-brazil-and-france-comprise-historic-womens-team-podium-at-2023-world-artistic-gymnastics-championships/|title= United States, Brazil, and France comprise historic women's team podium at 2023 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships|website=Gymnastics Now|date=4 October 2023}}{{cite web|url= https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2023/oct/04/simone-biles-leads-us-to-gymnastics-world-championship-gold-medal|title= Simone Biles magic leads USA to world gymnastics championships gold medal|website=The Guardian|date=4 October 2023}} Later that month, Soares competed at the Pan American Games, where the Brazilian team once again took silver behind the United States.{{cite web|url= https://olympics.com/en/news/santiago-2023-usa-womens-artistic-gymnastic-team-golden-again-pan-am-games-results|title= Santiago 2023 – U.S. women's artistic gymnastics team golden again at Pan Am Games|website=International Olympic Committee|date=23 October 2023}} Individually, she finished fourth in the floor final.{{cite web|url= https://thegymter.net/2023/10/26/2023-pan-american-games-results/|title= 2023 Pan American Games Results|website=The Gymternet|date=26 October 2023}}

=2024=

File:Julia Soares (outubro de 2024).jpg

At the 2024 Paris Olympics, Soares won the bronze medal with the Brazilian team in the team all-around final, alongside Rebeca Andrade, Jade Barbosa, Lorrane Oliveira and Flávia Saraiva. This was the first ever Olympic team medal in gymnastics for the country.{{Cite web |title=Italy and Brazil make history with Olympic team medals in women's gymnastics |url=https://www.nbcolympics.com/news/italy-and-brazil-make-history-olympic-team-medals-womens-gymnastics |access-date=2024-08-01 |website=NBC Olympics|language=en}}

Eponymous skills

Soares has a balance beam mount named after her in the Code of Points.{{cite web |title=Women’s Artistic Gymnastics – 2025-2028 Code of Points |url=https://www.gymnastics.sport/publicdir/rules/files/en_1.1%20-%20WAG%20COP%202025-2028.pdf |website=International Gymnastics Federation |date=22 April 2024 |access-date=2 February 2025}}

Apparatus	Name	Description	Difficulty{{efn\|name=difficulty\|Valid for the 2025–2028 Code of Points}}	Added to Code of Points
class="wikitable"
Balance beam	Soares	From rear stand, flic flac with ½ turn (180°) to candle position, ending in front support	C (0.3)	2021 Pan American Championships

Competitive history

colspan="8" text-align: center;" \|Junior
class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size:95%;" ! align="center" \|Year ! align="center" \|Event ! style="width:30px;" \|Team ! style="width:30px;" \|AA ! style="width:30px;" \|VT ! style="width:30px;" \|UB ! style="width:30px;" \|BB ! style="width:30px;" \|FX
rowspan="5" \| 2018	align=left\|City of Jesolo Trophy	7	34
align=left\|Brazilian Championships		{{gold1}}	{{bronze3}}	{{silver2}}	{{gold1}}
align=left\|Brazilian Event Championships	{{silver2}}			5	{{bronze3}}	5
align=left\|South American Junior Championships	{{gold1}}			{{bronze3}}	4	{{gold1}}
align=left\|Brazilian Junior Championships		{{bronze3}}	{{silver2}}	{{silver2}}	{{gold1}}	{{silver2}}
rowspan="6" \| 2019	align=left\|WOGA Classic		7
align=left\|Brazilian Event Championships		5			{{bronze3}}	{{bronze3}}
bgcolor=#CCCCFF \| align=left\|Junior World Championships	7	15			7	R1
align=left\|Brazilian Championships	{{gold1}}	{{gold1}}	{{bronze3}}	{{silver2}}	{{gold1}}	{{gold1}}
align=left\|South American Junior Championships	{{silver2}}	{{bronze3}}			{{silver2}}	{{gold1}}
align=left\|Brazilian Junior Championships		{{gold1}}		{{gold1}}	{{gold1}}	{{gold1}}
colspan="8" text-align: center;" \|Senior
rowspan="4" \| 2021
bgcolor=#F5F6CE \| align=left \|Pan American Championships	{{gold1}}				{{bronze3}}
align=left\| Brazilian Championships	{{silver2}}	4		6		{{gold1}}
align=left\| South American Championships	{{gold1}}	{{gold1}}		{{bronze3}}	{{gold1}}	{{gold1}}
rowspan="6" \| 2022	align=left \| Baku World Cup						{{gold1}}
align=left\| Gymnasiade	4	6			7	6
bgcolor=#F5F6CE \| align=left \| Pan American Championships	{{gold1}}					6
align=left \| Brazilian Championships	{{silver2}}	{{bronze3}}		6	{{silver2}}	{{bronze3}}
align=left \| South American Games	{{gold1}}	{{gold1}}			{{gold1}}	{{gold1}}
bgcolor=#CCCCFF \| align=left \| World Championships	4
rowspan="8" \| 2023	align=left \| DTB Pokal Team Challenge	9				4	{{gold1}}
align=left \| Brazil Trophy					{{gold1}}	{{gold1}}
bgcolor=#F5F6CE \| align=left \| Pan American Championships	5	7		12	8	8
align=left \| Brazilian Championships	{{silver2}}	{{silver2}}		6	{{bronze3}}	{{silver2}}
bgcolor=#CCCCFF \| align=left \| World Championships	{{silver2}}
bgcolor=#f0fccf \| align=left \| Pan American Games	{{silver2}}					4
align=left \| Arthur Gander Memorial		{{gold1}}
align=left \| Swiss Cup	{{bronze3}}
rowspan="7" \| 2024	align=left \| Baku World Cup					5
align=left \| City of Jesolo Trophy	{{silver2}}					{{gold1}}
align=left \| Brazil Trophy					{{silver2}}	6
bgcolor=98FB98 \| align=left \| Olympic Games	{{bronze3}}				7	{{abbreviation\|R2\|Soares was the second reserve for the floor exercise final}}
align=left \| Brazilian Championships	{{silver2}}	{{gold1}}		{{abbreviation\|WD\|Soares withdrew from the uneven bars final}}	{{abbreviation\|WD\|Soares withdrew from the balance beam final}}	{{abbreviation\|WD\|Soares withdrew from the floor exercise final}}
align=left \| Arthur Gander Memorial		{{bronze3}}
align=left \| Swiss Cup	4