João Luiz Ribeiro

Brazilian gymnast João Luiz Ribeiro was born in São Joaquim in 1959 and began his career with Sogipa in Porto Alegre. By the late 1970s Ribeiro had progressed to represent the national team, going on to win a bronze medal in the team competition at the 1979 Pan American Games. The following year he competed at the 1980 Moskva Olympics, becoming the first Brazilian to represent Brazil in artistic gymnastics at the Olympics. Ribeiro finished in 64th place in the individual competition out of the 65 gymnasts who took part at the Moskva Games.

Following the Olympics Ribeiro attended Indiana State University after accepting a scholarship. He then transferred to East Stroudsburg University where he became a national champion on the parallel bars, high bars, and the all-round event in 1984. Four years later he and his wife opened their first gym in Englewood, New Jersey, followed by their second gym in Mahwah, NJ in 1992.