Barbosa joined the national team at age 17. There he met Silva, and they began training together,[3] though they initially did not think their different styles would match well with each other.[4] They train four hours a day together when they do not have upcoming competitions and eight hours a day before important championships.[3]
At the 2017 Pan American Championships, Barbosa won silver in the individual event and gold with Silva in the mixed pairs event.[5]
In 2018, Barbosa won three medals on the World Cup series in the men's individual competition: silver in Cantanhede, Portugal, bronze in Tokyo, and lastly gold in Plovdiv.[6][7] At the end of the year, at the 2018 Pan American Championships, he once again won gold with Silva in the mixed pairs event and silver in the individual event.[8]
In 2021, at the World Championships in Baku, Barbosa won bronze in the individual event, which was Brazil's first medal at the World Championships since 2010.[9][10] His routine was set to the song I'm Still Standing by Elton John, which Barbosa said he chose because "it represents me a lot".[10] The bronze medal meant that Barbosa, who worked as a DJ and nightclub performer, received more financial support to continue his training.[4]
During the 2022 season, Barbosa choreographed his own individual routine for the first time; the routine was Spider-Man-themed. Barbosa said that he was pleased with his artistic score at the Cantanhede World Cup, and he added, "I'm always trying to make it more artistic."[11] Although neither he nor Silva advanced to the individual finals at the World Championships in June, together they won silver in the mixed pair final to a routine using music from The Lion King.[12]
In July, at the 2022 World Games held in Birmingham, Alabama, he and Silva won gold in the mixed pair event.[3][13] They were selected as the World Games Athletes of the Day after their victory. Barbosa thanked the Brazilian Gymnastics Federation for their increased support and noted that the organization had begun to pay more attention to aerobic gymnastics after they were successful in an online program in 2020 during early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic.[14]
At the 2023 Pan American Championships, Barbosa won gold both as an individual and in mixed pairs.[15]
In 2024, at the World Championships in Pesaro, he and Silva won bronze. Barbosa said that they were very happy with the result and that he was especially happy to have won the medal with Silva, because "she is my sister. We are very good friends". They announced that this was their last time competing together at the World Championships, though they were still considering whether they would compete at the upcoming 2025 World Games.[13]
Brazil
Brazil
