(Photo: Alessandra Cabral/CPB)
The International Swimming Open, considered the first Selective of the sport for the Paris-2024 Paralympic Games, began this Thursday (2), at the Paralympic Training Center, in São Paulo. At the opening of the event, 12 athletes Brazilians they beat the times established by the Brazilian Paralympic Committee (CPB) as one of the criteria for qualifying for the mega event in the French capital.
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Among the swimmers who reached the mark is Mayara Petzold, from Minas Gerais, in class S6 (physical-motor impairment). She is a multi-medal Parapan American medalist (two gold, one silver and two bronze at Parapan de Santiago-2023) and is looking for her first participation in an edition of the Paralympic Games. At the opening of the International Open, Mayara beat the index by completing the 50m butterfly event in 37.11, faster than the 38.77 stipulated by CPB.
“This is my favorite race. I am really happy. I didn’t expect this result, it was my best achievement in my life, in my first participation in a Selective. I have a feeling of accomplishment. It’s all very new, it gives me butterflies, but I have an incredible team and a family supporting me to achieve all this”, celebrated the Minas Gerais native.
Another athlete who is approaching his debut at the Games is world champion Samuel Oliveira, from class S5 (physical-motor impairment). The swimmer from São Paulo beat the index in the event in which he was also world champion in Manchester, last year: the 50m butterfly. Thus, he completed the course in 32.63, two seconds faster than the 35.05 defined by CPB.
“I wanted to reduce this time even more, but I’m very happy. This index is very important, as it brings me closer to my first Games. I’m dedicating myself too much, training a lot throughout this cycle. There will be three days of Selections, with many tests, so it is important to achieve this score in the first competition”, said the 18-year-old athlete.
Other highlights
Douglas Matera, from Rio, owner of eight gold medals from the last Parapan, swam the 100m butterfly event in 59.53, better than the rate for class S12 (low vision), of 1min01.17. “I am very happy to have achieved this score, which brings me closer to my second participation in the Games. The idea was to guarantee this index straight away, take some pressure off, and swim the other Selective events, reducing my times”, said the swimmer.
Likewise, other athletes to surpass the index for Paris were Cecília Araújo from Cecília Araújo (S8, physical-motor impairment), Talisson Glock from Santa Catarina (S6, physical-motor impairment), Carol Santiago from Pernambuco (S12, low vision), Vitória Ribeiro from Paraná (S8, physical-motor impairment), Gabriel Bandeira from São Paulo (S14, intellectual disability), Lídia Cruz from Rio (S4, physical-motor impairment), José Ronaldo da Silva from São Paulo (S1, physical-motor impairment ) and Gabriel Araújo from Minas Gerais (S2, physical-motor impairment). Furthermore, Breno Braga (S12) from Espírito Santo also surpassed the index, but is not eligible for the Games as he did not meet all the entry criteria.
The opening of the Open also saw the breaking of a record in the Americas, by José Ronaldo. The swimmer completed the 50m backstroke, in class S1, in 1min15s35. The best continental mark was already his, 1min19s19, recorded at the Parapan de Santiago, in November 2023. In addition to the Open, the fight for places in Paris-2024 will have yet another stage. Athletes will still be able to achieve Index A in the First National Stage of the Loterias Caixa Swimming Circuit. The competition will take place between May 16th and 18th, also at CT, in São Paulo.
*With information from the Brazilian Paralympic Committee
Journalist from Espírito Santo graduated from PUC-SP and lover of Olympic and Paralympic sports.
