Júlia Maria, Rhayelle da Silva and João Neto, all from Araguaína, put Tocantins in the spotlight last Sunday, 5th, during the South American Kids Jiu-Jitsu Championship, hosted at the Ibirapuera Gymnasium, in São Paulo. With their impressive skills, these young athletes managed to bag six medals for the state.
Rhayelle da Silva Borges, 13 years old and yellow belt, was responsible for two silver medals, masterfully representing Tocantins. The athlete’s participation was supported by the government of Tocantins, through the State Secretariat for Sports and Youth (Seju). “It was an incredible experience to be in this championship. I am immensely grateful for the support from the state government. I will always seek to honor Tocantins in the best way possible,” she declared.
Talent seems to be a family tradition, as Rhayelle celebrated her achievements alongside her younger sister, nine-year-old Júlia Maria da Silva Santos. Júlia also stood out in the competition by securing gold medals in the No Gi category (without kimono) and silver in the category with kimono. “I am very happy to represent Tocantins in this championship. I intend to train even more to achieve even better results at the World Cup”, said Júlia Maria.
Meanwhile, the youngest of the group, João Neto, just 6 years old and with a gray belt, was not left behind, securing gold and silver medals for Tocantins.
The event, organized by the Brazilian Confederation of Sports Jiu-jitsu (CBJJE), is divided into age, weight and belt categories.
Photo: Personal Archive
Tags: Tocantins spotlight young athletes win medals South American Kids Jiujitsu championship
