Paralympic Meeting Loterias Caixa do RN marks farewell to Potiguares before the Athletics World Cup

O Paralympic Meeting Lotteries Christmas Box, Rio Grande do Norte, organized and carried out by the Brazilian Paralympic Committee (CPB), will bring together 241 athletics, swimming and weightlifting athletes this Saturday, the 27th, in two locations in the capital of Rio Grande do Norte.

The Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN) will receive 153 participants in athletics events and 33 weightlifters, while the Sesi Clube Natal pool will have 55 swimmers.

Among the highlights are two athletes who will compete in the Kobe Paralympic Athletics World Cup, Japan, May 17-25. The potiguares Maria Clara Augustoknown as Clarinha, and Thalita Simplício They will compete for the last time in Brazil before traveling to Japan. For the event in Asia, CPB called up 50 athletes and 10 guide athletes.

Clarinha, 19, is in class T47 (upper limb disability) and finished last season with the third best time in the world in the 400m. At the Paris 2023 World Cupshe completed the distance in 58s49, a mark that guaranteed her bronze in the competition.

Thalita Simplício, 26, from class T11 (visual impairment), has three silver medals in the Paralympic Games – 200m and 400m in Tokyo 2020 and the 4x100m relay in Rio 2016. In addition, she won gold in the 400m during the Paris World Cup, with a time of 56.60 – the second best in the world last year.

“When CPB brings an event like the Meeting to Natal, it is not just a chance to prepare in our city for the World Cup, with friends and family watching us live. It is also a way of showing what the Paralympic Movement is to a greater number of people. It’s an opportunity for the public to learn more about sport for people with disabilities”, analyzed Thalita, who was born with glaucoma.

“The Meeting will be used to adjust small details of the race. It’s the last competition before the World Cup and has the advantage of being at home. We will have the support of family and friends, who will be able to attend the event in person”, said Clarinha, who has a congenital malformation in her left arm, below the elbow.

In addition to the two athletes, who defend the Associação Paradesportiva do Rio Grande do Norte (APARN), other people from Rio Grande do Norte will be at the Meeting and will represent Brazil at the Kobe World Cup: Felipe Veloso, Thalita’s guide athlete, and Marília de Azevedo, who will be coach of both sprinters in Japan.

Paralympic Meeting in 2024
The 2024 Loterias Caixa Paralympic Meeting season began in February with simultaneous stages in Porto Alegre (RS) It is Rio Branco (AC). The event has also already passed 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) It is João Pessoa (PB). This Saturday, there will still be a stage in Vitória (ES).

This year, the event offers more modalities and will take place in all Brazilian capitals. In 2024, in addition to athletics, swimming and weightlifting competitions organized by the High Performance Sports Directorate (DEAR) of the Brazilian Paralympic Committee (CPB), the Meetings will also host regional stages of competitions organized by the Sports Development Directorate (DDE): School Paralympics, University Paralympics, Military Paralympics It is Intercentros (competition between students from CPB Reference Centers, a project that takes advantage of sports spaces in states in all regions of the country to offer Paralympic sports, from initiation to high performance). With this, the Meetings will also host disputes in three new modalities: boccia, archery and sports shooting.

The Loterias Caixa Paralympic Meeting aims to develop parasports throughout the national territory, with the participation of new talents and elite athletes. It has been designed and organized by the Brazilian Paralympic Committee (CPB) since 2021, as an update of the traditional Caixa Loterias Circuits, which had already been held since 2005. Between 2021 and 2023, it brought together athletics, swimming and weightlifting events, with each city hosting competitions of at least one of these modalities.

Press
Press professionals interested in covering the Paralímpico Meeting Loterias Caixa de Natal stage can send an email to [email protected] with the following data: full name, ID or CPF, vehicle through which they will cover the event. On the day of the competition, professionals must identify themselves in the local press room.

Service
Paralympic Meeting Lotteries Christmas Box
Athletics and weightlifting
Local: Athletics track and gymnasium at the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte
Address: Sports Gymnasium Road – R. do Esporte, Lagoa Nova – Natal

Swimming
Local: Sesi Club Natal
Address: Av. Capitão-Mor Gouveia, 2770, Lagoa Nova – Natal

Sponsorships
Loterias Caixa is the official sponsor of the Loterias Caixa Paralympic Meeting
Loterias Caixa and Braskem are the official sponsors of athletics
Loterias Caixa is the official sponsor of swimming
Loterias Caixa is the official sponsor of weightlifting

Caixa Lottery Program for High Level Athletes
Athletes Maria Clara Augusto and Thalita Simplício are members of the Loterias Caixa High Level Athletes Program, an individual sponsorship program by Loterias Caixa that benefits 114 athletes.

Communications Office of the Brazilian Paralympic Committee ([email protected])