Brazilian ace Andrade can follow in the scintillating footsteps of Biles, says Tweddle

Samba star Rebeca Andrade is ready to step into the twinkle-toed shoes of Simone Biles at the World Gymnastics Championships in Liverpool. That's the view of five-time medallist Beth Tweddle ahead of the world's best gymnasts descending on Merseyside in exactly one month. Ad Andrade bewitched the watching world with the 'favela dance' to win gold and silver in Tokyo, the first Brazilian woman to win an Olympic gymnastics medal.

GymnasticsFive things we learned at the FIG World Cup in Paris26/09/2022 AT 10:14 With Biles on an indefinite mental health break and Olympic all-around champion Sunisa Lee also skipping this season, Tweddle sees Andrade as the sport's next megastar. «It's Rebeca's time to shine now,» she said. «Without Simone there's an opportunity for gymnasts to come forward, to step up and make their mark.

»I don't think she leaves a void, she has done amazing things for the sport and will continue to promote it, but we'll see new names coming forward in Liverpool. «I've seen Rebeca compete already this summer and she has performed really well. She'll be looking to increase her medal tally from the Olympics at this World Championships.

»She's just very stylish to watch. All of her skills are performed to the max, the power and the elegance behind it is incredible." Andrade led the Brazilian team to their first head-to-head victory over USA since 1997 at July's Pan American Championships, seeming to herald a new era in the sport. This week Biles insisted on Twitter that she has not retired and continues to undergo routine doping testing that paves a way for the 19-time world champion's eventual return.