In Curitiba, Iron Maiden singer Bruce Dickinson meets Greca and fights fencing against an athlete from the Brazilian team

One of the greatest heavy metal vocalists of all time, Bruce Dickinson, was received by the mayor of Curitiba, Rafael Greca, this Tuesday (23), at the Afonso Botelho Sports and Leisure Center. The Iron Maiden leader returns to Curitiba on his tour “The Mandrake Project Tour” which will cover seven Brazilian cities.

Dickinson, who is also a top fencer, went to see one of the main fencing projects carried out in the country. The initiative is a partnership between the Municipal Department of Sports, Leisure and Youth and the Mais Esporte Institute.

“It is a joy for Curitiba to be able to welcome an artist of Bruce Dickinson’s stature here at our Afonso Botelho Sports and Leisure Center. Just like Bruce, who has even been called up to represent Great Britain in sport, we hope that our curitiba who are starting with fencing, get there”, said Mayor Rafael Greca.

The heavy metal star participated in a fencing match during the visit with the athlete from Curitiba and the Brazilian team, Alexandre Camargo.

“For us in fencing, it is very important to have Bruce here. This visibility attracts a lot of people, a lot of people who know about fencing, there are children who like it, older people also follow Bruce, this ends up promoting the sport a lot. Fencing It’s still not a very well-known sport in Brazil and it’s in these moments that we take advantage of it to gain more fans”, said Camargo.

Afonso Botelho Sports and Leisure Center

In the national sports capital, the Afonso Botelho Sports and Leisure Center, in Água Verde, is home to one of the main fencing projects carried out in the country, in a partnership between the Municipal Department of Sports, Leisure and Youth and the Mais Esporte Institute.

This was the first Sports and Leisure Center in Curitiba to incorporate the sport, in 2018. The space has a room created for the practice of fencing with a bladed weapon, mask and appropriate clothing available free of charge, and athletes who stand out in skill and strength of will.

According to Giocondo Cabral, coach and vice-president of the Paraná Fencing Federation, Curitiba will soon become a hotbed of athletes in the sport.

“I believe it is a way for us to have future champions, or at least develop practice a lot. We came out ahead! Because others have different types of projects, right? In schools, clubs and Curitiba there are also. In the squares, only the capital of sport provides it, and that makes a difference”, said the coach.

Students from 7 years old can register, with no age limit. In addition to Afonso Botelho, Curitiba offers fencing classes in four more regions completely free of charge: Cajuru, Cidade Industrial, Santa Felicidade and Portão, all with sword technique. But at the Gate, of the nine classes, seven use the saber and two use the sword. To register, simply enter the Curitiba em Movimento Portal.

The City Hall’s sporting, physical and leisure activities are part of the Curitiba Viva Bem public policy, one of the main agendas of Mayor Rafael Greca’s administration, as well as urban mobility, sustainability, impact entrepreneurship, culture of innovation as a social process and city educator. The importance of health and well-being for the people of Curitiba motivated the City Hall to mobilize all areas of public management, which are expanding actions jointly through Curitiba Viva Bem.

In Curitiba, Iron Maiden singer Bruce Dickinson meets Greca and fights fencing against an athlete from the Brazilian team was published first in Banda B.