Another major Para sport event to be held in Sao Paulo

The 2017 Brazilian Paralympic University Games will take place at the national Paralympic Training Centre in the city of Sao Paulo, from 26-30 June, as announced by the Brazilian Paralympic Committee (CPB) and the Brazilian Confederation of University Sports (CBDU).

Badminton and wheelchair tennis will be added to the programme, which also includes athletics, boccia, judo, swimming and table tennis. Around 400 athletes are expected to compete.

CPB Vice-president Ivaldo Brandao said: “We noticed the gap between sports at school and the high-performance level. Some athletes stopped training to study at a University, and vice-versa. But this is a way to encourage students with impairment to do both activities.

“The University Games will be very important so that they do not have to pick between studying and training anymore.”

CBDU President Luciano Cabral added: “We want to offer a platform at Brazilian Universities from which Para athletes can develop their skills.”

Registration will be open between 16 May-5 June and can be done via the educational institution or individually. It is mandatory to be a regular student from a University.

More information can be found on the Brazilian Paralympic Committee’s website (in Portuguese).