Jessika Azevedo, an athlete who uses the parasports care line at the Santos Dumont Institute (ISD), will be one of the representatives of the Brazilian Youth Team at the World Boccia Challenger, held in the city of Cali, Colombia. The international competition will take place between October 4th and 13th.
This will be Jessika's second participation in the World Boccia Challenger. Last year, she won the silver medal in the edition held in Santiago, Chile, in the BC3 category. In Cali, the 21-year-old athlete hopes to climb to the podium again and bring another medal home to Rio Grande do Norte.
The para-athlete competes in bocce competitions for the Associação Paradesportiva do RN (APARN). In addition, she attends the ISD Paralympic Reference Center, located in Macaíba, where she receives support from coaches qualified by the Brazilian Paralympic Committee (CPB) who enhance sports performance and work on social inclusion through sports.
At birth, Jessika was diagnosed with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) type 2, a neuromuscular disease that causes the death of lower motor neurons. Due to the disease, she has limited movement in her upper and lower limbs. For this reason, she competes with the help of her father, Josenildo Agostinho. He plays the role of gutterman, who directs the gutter through which the ball passes in bocce matches.
The athlete is a promising athlete in Brazilian Paralympic sports. In 2024, she will complete 10 years playing bocce. During this time, she has participated in numerous national and international competitions, having won the gold medal at the School Paralympics in 2016 and the silver medal in 2018.
World Boccia Challenger
The World Boccia Challenger is an international event that brings together boccia athletes in continental editions. The tournament aims to promote inclusion, competitiveness and development of the sport, in addition to providing a space for the exchange of experiences between athletes from different countries. During the event, competitors compete in several categories. The tournament also seeks to increase the visibility of boccia and encourage new athletes to participate in the sport.
Get to know bocce
Paralympic boccia is one of the sports offered by the ISD Paralympic Reference Center, located in Macaíba. The sport can be practiced by athletes with a high degree of cerebral palsy or severe disabilities.
The competition consists of throwing colored balls as close as possible to a white one. Athletes sit in wheelchairs and are limited to a designated area to throw. They are allowed to use their hands, feet and assistive devices (gutters), and have helpers (gutters) in the case of athletes with more severe limb impairments.
Paralympic Reference Center
The ISD/Macaíba Paralympic Reference Center is accredited by the Brazilian Paralympic Committee (CPB). Currently, boccia and para-athletics are offered to adults and children aged 7 and over, free of charge. Training ranges from beginners to high-performance athletes.
After making an appointment, interested people undergo a remote screening followed by a global assessment, when the eligibility criteria for the modalities offered at the Institute are verified. Scheduling can be done by calling (84) 4042-0033; (84) 4042-0044, or via WhatsApp: (84) 9-9155-3027, from Monday to Friday, from 8am to 5pm.
About ISD
The Santos Dumont Institute (ISD) is a Social Organization linked to the Ministry of Education (MEC) and includes the Edmond and Lily Safra International Neuroscience Institute and the Anita Garibaldi Center for Health Education and Research, both in Macaíba. ISD's mission is to promote education for life, forming citizens through integrated teaching, research and extension actions, in addition to contributing to a fairer and more humane transformation of Brazilian social reality.
