Column – Brazil keeps pace with two years of the Paralympic Games in Paris

A year ago, the World Paralympic Sports Cream was collected in Tokyo (Japan). The historic performance of Brazil, by finishing the Games in seventh place in the medal table, equaling the podium record (72) and exceeding the gold medal (22), met the expectations announced by the Brazilian Paralympic Committee (CPB) in 2017, when the entity issued. Strategic planning for two cycles after Rio 2016.

After the huge event in the Japanese capital, the layout has been updated. The thinking goals for the Paris (France) Games, two years from now, are the same as five years ago, for the most part. Intention is still present in no less than 20 (of 22) modes and the pursuit is between 70 and 90 medals. However, the goal goes beyond staying in the top ten, as was intended in 2017, but to establish itself among the top eight members of the board, which it has maintained since the London (UK) release in 2012.

The first results of the course bring optimism. Also in 2021, at the Parakanui World Cup, in Copenhagen (Denmark), a few days after the end of the Tokyo Games, Brazil won three medals and saw Fernando Rufino, Cowboy of Steel, repeat Japan’s achievement and take the gold medal. In the 200m VL2 class (a boat for rowing athletes using the arms and torso).

At the World Weightlifting Championships, in Tbilisi (Georgia), also last year, Paralympic champion Mariana Dandria remained on the podium in the under-73 kg category, and now took the silver medal. Before the end of the year, there was time for Brazilian Paraticondo to conquer seven World Cup podiums in Istanbul (Turkey), with the highlight being Silvana Fernandez (bronze in Tokyo) in the under-57kg category (winner in Tokyo, Nathan) Torquato pulled out. In the semi-finals category up to 63 kg per injury). It was the best performance in the event’s history, surpassing two medals (gold and bronze) for 2019.

In 2022, at a new edition of the World Cup in Parakanui, in Halifax (Canada), the Brazilians performed even better, with four medals and a double of the 200 meters from the VL2, with Igor Tofalini at the start and Rufino, this time, with silver. At the World Para Equestrian Championships, in Hering (Denmark), Rodolfo Riscala won the bronze medal in the individual technical fray (the same event he won the silver medal in Tokyo) and in the freestyle – both in the fourth degree category (riders with minor disabilities) in one or both sides or with moderate visual impairment).

At the Cycling World Cup, in Bay Como (Canada), there were four medals. In the endurance test, Lauro Chaman took the silver in the MC5 class (less severe physical disabilities) and Carlos Alberto Soares took the bronze in the MC1 (higher motor impairment). Jade Malavazzi, in turn, won bronze in road feuds and in the H3 class time trial (athletes using a modified bike and pushing it with their arms). In Tokyo, Brazil was not on the podium in the sport.

In wheelchair tennis, Brazil won an unprecedented bronze medal at the Team World Cup, in Vilamoura (Portugal), in the quartet class (athletes with disabilities in three or more body parts), with Leandro Pena, Augusto Fernandez and Yamanetto Silva. The latter was also runner-up in the doubles at Roland Garros, one of the four Grand Slams of the season, in Paris, in addition to reaching seventh place in the International Tennis Federation (ITF) classification, a career record.

The sport with the most gold medals in Tokyo (eight), along with athletics, swimming also saw a promising start to a cycle. There were 53 podiums earned by the 29 athletes from Brazil who participated in the World Cup in Funchal (Portugal), with 19 gold medals. It was the best performance in event history, even without newly retired superstar Daniel Dias.

“The expressive result at the World Swimming Championships is certainly one of the highlights of the session so far. In athletics, some of the athletes who have shone in other versions of the Games, such as Petrúcio Ferreira [velocidade]Beth Gomez [arremesso do peso]Hey Raisa Machado [lançamento do dardo] and Alessandro Silva [lançamento do disco]He broke world records. It is expected that in these two ways, which have historically brought so many medals to Brazil, we will continue to achieve,” CPB High Performance Sports Director Jonas Freire analyzed to Brazil Agency.

“In judo, Brazil has won every contested Grand Prix this year. The blind soccer team has also won all the championships it has been in in 2022. In goal soccer, both the women’s team and the men’s team have won the Americas. It’s a start and a half round with good results. This gives us good odds for the Paris Games,” the manager added.

Another goal adapted into the commission’s planning concerns youth presence. In the planning announced in 2017, the CPB projected that at least 17% of the finalists in Paris could reach the age of 23. In the update, the goal is 50% of U-23 players to be present at the finals.

In Tokyo, 39 athletes (about 17% of the Brazilian team) were at most 23 years old at the time of the Games, and 22 of them (21 in non-team sports) had played in the finals, representing just over 56% of the group. In swimming (with 34% of Paralympic participants under 23), all competitors in that age group were in medal events. The scenario that was repeated in the Funchal World Cup.

Other sports, such as goal soccer, wheelchair basketball and blind football, are also promoting new faces. In the latter, for example, the Brazilian U-23 team, which is participating in the Grand Prix in Sheltigheim (France), crushed the hosts, the current European champions and those who were playing with the main team, 4-1, on Tuesday (30).

“Our goal with this goal [50% dos sub-23 atingindo finais], is to ensure the continuity of results from one cycle to the next. In this way, we have adjusted the target to better achieve our goal and to facilitate the monitoring process,” Freire explained.

There is another World Cup for the Paralympic Games in 2022. The rowing event takes place in September in Račes (Czech Republic). The following month, it will be rugby’s turn in a wheelchair in Villiers (Denmark). On the fifth of November. Shooting and wheelchair basketball are held in the United Arab Emirates. Judo in Baku (Azerbaijan). Table tennis will be organized in Granada (Spain). The volleyball match – which will take place tentatively in May, in Hangzhou (China) – will take place in Sarajevo (Bosnia and Herzegovina). Finally, in December, goal football (Portugal) and bocce matches will be held in Rio de Janeiro.