Paralympic medalist believes there will be more bocce podiums at Paris Games

The division of athletes by gender in individual disputes is the main new thing in the Paralympic bocce at the Paris (France) Games, in 2024. Until the Paralympics in Tokyo (Japan), it was only division by class, with men and individuals. Women compete together. A change that will be positive for Brazil, Paralympic medalist Maciel Santos.

Before that we deserved seven medals [quatro no individual e três por equipes/pares]. Now it has increased [para 11]. It opened up new possibilities,” said the 36-year-old from Ciara, who had cerebral palsy at birth and was elected Bocía Athlete of the Year in 2021 at the Paralympic Games Awards. Brazil Agency.

Paralympic bocce is practiced by athletes with severe physical and motor disabilities. There are four seasons. BC1 and BC2 combine people who play with their hands or feet. In BC1, the assistant is allowed to deliver balls. In BC3, players are supported with a direct shot slide and can use certain tools to push the ball. In BC4, there are contenders with spinal cord injury.

In an interview with Brazil AgencyThe technical director of the National Association of Disabled Sports (Andy) Leonardo Baedek explained that the world Bocía (International Sports Federation) decided to divide the athletes by gender after noticing that the results of males in classes where handball was present were better than females. In Tokyo, individual medals in the four categories went to the men. Two for Brazil, both silver, with José Carlos Chagas (BC 1) and Masel himself (BC 2).

Before the division by gender, the only Brazilian in the world’s top ten was Evelyn Oliveira, sixth in the BC3 category. After the change, Brazil now has five women in the top ten in their categories: Natalie de Faria (third) in BC2, Evelyn (second) and Ivani Calado (fourth) in BC3 and Arceled da Silva (sixth) in BC4.

In men, the country ranks in the top ten in each category. Jose Carlos is the best in as BC1’s deputy commanding officer. Maciel is third in BC2. In BC3, Mateus Carvalho was 13th before the division by gender and rose to 8th in the new rankings. In BC4, Eliseo dos Santos came fourth.

Champion at the London (UK) Games, in 2012, and silver medalist in Tokyo, Maciel cites the America’s Cup that was held in December last year, in Sao Paulo, as an example of the potential that Brazil has to climb to the podium in the new. Formula. The country’s athletes have won ten individual medals: five in the men and five in the women. Altogether, there were four gold, three silver, and three copper.

“It was the first competition after Tokyo in this new system, but you could see the development. I am sure that for this year’s World Cup, in Rio de Janeiro, we will arrive ready to look for as many places as possible for Paris 2024,” said Maciel, who is already looking forward To the competition scheduled from December 3 to 14, at Barra Olympic Park, on the western side of the state capital.

“Playing at home is more fun, but the responsibility also increases. When we enter the Olympic Park, the memory of the Olympic Games in Rio will come. We count on the support of the fans, as it was in 2016”, concluded the Paralympic medalist.