Having a parent’s support makes all the difference when it comes to pursuing your dreams — especially when they’re as big as Raquel Arruda’s.
The little girl from Brazil is only five years old, but she already knows she wants to be just like Aly Raisman when she grows up. In fact, she’s been quite busy practicing the six-time Olympic medalist’s floor routines with her dad’s help. In insanely cute footage, the father-daughter duo demonstrate how to nail those dizzying moves… and earn millions of adoring fans.
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In the video shared by The Olympics Games on social media, we see Raquel and her dad recreating one of Raisman’s performances, complete with a tiny matching leotard.
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As Raquel stands atop a bed and watches her idol, she repeats every move, raising her arms in the air, dancing, and swinging her hips to match.
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While her antics are adorable enough on their own, what really makes the video is the fact that her dad memorized Raisman’s routine so he’d know exactly when to come in! As the gymnast flips, jumps, and tumbles, Raquel’s dad lifts and flips his daughter as well…
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…holds her up for a mid-air split…
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…and turns her again for another backflip, with Raquel grinning all the while.
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Watching the pair work together, it’s impossible not to smile as well. It’s also no wonder their video racked up millions of views…
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…and even caught the attention of Raisman herself, who gushed over her tiny doppelganger.
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What viewers loved most about the video wasn’t just the dad’s encouragement of his daughter’s interests, but his involvement in making her dreams become reality, one Raisman routine at a time. With a dad likes hers, there’s no doubt Raquel will reach all her gymnastics goals.
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Watch the father-daughter routine below, and share to spread some smiles.
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