School Games unite 1,300 Brazilian hopefuls

The competition will encourage students with physical, visual and intellectual impairments to participate in sports.

The largest para-sport school event in the world, the Brazilian Paralympic School Games start in Sao Paulo on Monday (25 November), and run until Friday (29 November).

Approximately 1,300 students, 12 to 20 years old, will be in the largest city in Brazil to compete in 10 sports: boccia, judo, table tennis, sitting volleyball, football 5-a-side, football 7-a-side, goalball, wheelchair tennis, swimming and athletics. The Opening Ceremony will take place on Monday at 16:30 (local time). The closing celebration will be held at the same location, at 18:00 on Friday.

Organised by the Brazilian Paralympic Committee (BPC), in partnership with the State Government of Sao Paulo, and with the municipal government of the city, the competition will encourage students with physical, visual and intellectual impairments to participate in sports.

The event has been held since 2006 and has already revealed great names of the Brazilian Paralympic Movement, such as Alan Oliveira, 200m T43 Paralympic champion and 100m, 200m and 400m T43 World Champion from the 2013 IPC Athletics World Championships in Lyon, France. He participated in the first edition of the Paralympic School Games in 2006 – making his debut in para-sports events.

Athletics has the highest number of competitors, with 456 athletes registered. Many nationally known athletes will be competing at this event, such as Sao Paulo track star Veronica Hipolito.

In addition to honoring the event, 17-year-old Hipólito, 200m T37 world champion, will also compete at the Constancio Vaz Guimaraes Sports Complex – Ibirapuera in three events: 100m, 400m and long jump.

“It is very important to compete in the Brazilian Paralympic School Games. I will be participating in a competition where most of the athletes who are now members of the Brazilian team got their start. I may even meet the athletes who will be competing in the 2020 or 2024 Paralympic Games." said Hipolito.

New at this year’s event is the presence of the first foreign delegation at the Brazilian Paralympic School Games, which have been held since 2006. Upon the invitation of Brazil’s Ministry of Sports, 22 students from Great Britain will participate in four sports: boccia, football 7-a-side, goalball and swimming.

Earlier this year, Brazilian and British students had had another opportunity to compete together. In September, eight Brazilian athletes travelled to Sheffield, Great Britain, to compete in the Sainsbury’s School Games.