The Vital Role of Lottery Sponsorship in Making Adapted Sports Possible
Celebrating Diversity and Overcoming Challenges. The Paralympic Meeting of Loterias Caixa in Amazonas/AM Tests the Evolution of a School Champion in the Pool
The Lottery House
tags:
Loterias Caixa
paralympic
Introduction:
The Paralympic Meeting is a highly significant event in the Brazilian Paralympic scene. Organized by the Brazilian Paralympic Committee (CPB), this gathering brings together athletes from various adapted sports, providing a platform for high-level competitions while promoting inclusion and diversity.
Over the years, the Paralympic Meeting has expanded, traveling to various cities across Brazil and including more sports in its program. In addition to athletics, swimming, and powerlifting competitions, the event also incorporates regional stages of other CPB-organized competitions, such as the School Paralympics, University Paralympics, Military Paralympics, and Intercentros.
The main objective of the Meeting is to foster the development of para-sports throughout the country, offering opportunities for athletes of all levels, from beginners to elites. Additionally, the event aims to inspire the next generation of talents and promote the visibility of Brazilian Paralympic athletes, highlighting their achievements and stories of overcoming challenges.
Through the Paralympic Meeting, the CPB demonstrates its commitment to the growth and appreciation of adapted sports in Brazil, providing a competitive and camaraderie-filled environment that strengthens the Paralympic community and inspires people nationwide.
In Brazil, Loteria Caixa is one of the main sources of funding for adapted sports, by allocating part of its revenue to the Brazilian Paralympic Committee (CPB).
Paralympic Meeting in Manaus: Celebrating Diversity and Overcoming Challenges
The Paralympic Meeting Loterias Caixa returned to Manaus, Amazonas, for the second time in history, on Saturday, May 25, bringing together 145 athletes from three different disciplines. The competitors were spread across the facilities of the Olympic Village, where the athletics (95 athletes) and swimming (25 athletes) events took place, and the Federal University of Amazonas, where 25 powerlifters competed.
The event, promoted by the Brazilian Paralympic Committee (CPB), hosted both elite athletes and those in development stages. An example is swimmer Marcelo Rebelo, 17, a resident of Manaus and champion in the 100m freestyle, category S5 (physical-motor limitation), during the National Phase of the 2023 School Paralympics.
On November 30 last year, Marcelo swam the same race in 1:58.61, a time lower than recorded in the first Meeting in Manaus, held on July 22 the previous year, reducing his mark by over 12 seconds in less than five months.
Diagnosed with congenital multiple arthrogryposis, a condition that limits his movements, Marcelo initially got involved with powerlifting at 14, but his true passion turned out to be swimming. Currently, he trains twice a week at one of the CPB Reference Centers in Manaus.
These centers are part of the CPB's Strategic Plan, launched in 2017 and updated in 2021, aiming to leverage sports facilities across the country to offer Paralympic sports from grassroots to high-performance levels.
"The doctors gave us a bleak prognosis about his life expectancy. It was a shock for us, but we decided to do everything we could to ensure his disability wouldn't prevent him from pursuing his dreams. Sports were crucial in this aspect. He loves swimming and meeting new people through the sport. He has already decided he wants to do this for the rest of his life," shared Gilmara Rebelo, Marcelo's mother.
Despite the focus on training and competitions, Gilmara emphasized that the family tries not to put excessive pressure on the young man for results. "We are very proud of Marcelo, and having the Meeting in Manaus again is fantastic. It's another chance for us to be close to him and support him. The important thing is that he has fun swimming," added his mother.
In the powerlifting competition, Manaus also hosted two internationally recognized athletes: Maria Fátima de Castro, 30, from the Amazonas Association of Physical Disabilities (Adefa), who competed in the last World Championship in Dubai, and Lucas Galvão, 22, also from Adefa, who won the bronze medal at the Tbilisi World Championship in 2022, in the Junior category up to 49kg.
Paralympic Meeting in 2024
The 2024 season of the Paralympic Meeting Loterias Caixa began in February with simultaneous events in Porto Alegre/RS and Rio Branco/AC. Since then, the event has traveled to various Brazilian cities, including Florianópolis/SC, Porto Velho/RO, Curitiba/PR, Cuiabá/MT, Salvador/BA, Campo Grande/MS, Goiânia/GO, Aracaju/SE, Recife/PE, Palmas/TO, Belo Horizonte/MG, João Pessoa/PB, Natal/RN, Vitória/ES, Rio de Janeiro/RJ, Fortaleza/CE, Boa Vista/RR, and Teresina/PI.
This year, the event is offering a broader range of sports and will pass through all Brazilian capitals. In addition to the athletics, swimming, and powerlifting competitions organized by the CPB's High-Performance Sports Directorate (DEAR), the Meetings will also include regional stages of competitions organized by the Sports Development Directorate (DDE), such as the School Paralympics, University Paralympics, Military Paralympics, and Intercentros (competition between students from the CPB Reference Centers). This project leverages sports spaces in all Brazilian states to offer Paralympic sports from initiation to high performance. As a result, the Meetings have come to include competitions in three new sports: boccia, archery, and shooting.
The main goal of the Paralympic Meeting Loterias Caixa is to promote the development of para-sports throughout Brazil, involving new talents and elite athletes. The event has been organized and conceived by the Brazilian Paralympic Committee (CPB) since 2021, as an update to the traditional Loterias Caixa Circuits, which were held since 2005. From 2021 to 2023, the event included athletics, swimming, and powerlifting competitions, with each city hosting at least one of these sports.
Conclusion:
The Paralympic Meeting Loterias Caixa is not just a major sporting event for Brazilian Paralympic athletes but also a testament to the spirit of overcoming challenges and dedication that inspires those who participate. By bringing together high-performance athletes and promoting the development of new generations of talents, the Meeting not only strengthens para-sports across the country but also offers a platform for inclusion and diversity. Loteria Caixa's sponsorship plays a fundamental role in this scenario, providing the necessary resources to make the event possible and support programs for athlete development. In this context, the participation of prominent figures like Marcelo Rebelo and other regional athletes is a testament to the potential and determination that define adapted sports in Brazil.