The list is long, but it is worth it. After checking all the selected reasons, it will be hard not to want to go to the Olympic Park, in Rio de Janeiro, to closely follow the Rio de Janeiro 2022 World Boccia Championship.
1) It will happen during the school vacations!
The Rio de Janeiro 2022 Boccia World Championships will take place from December 5th to 13th, with free entrance, at the Olympic Park, in Barra da Tijuca, in the city’s West Zone.
Brazil, RJ, Rio de Janeiro, Olympic Park – Paralympic Games Rio 2016 | ©Alexandre Urch/MPIX/CPB
2) It’s free!
As we said in item one, but it is worth reinforcing: the entrance is FREE!
3) To see up close the #1 athlete in the world in the BC2 class: Maciel dos Santos
London, United Kingdom. 2012 Paralympics – Maciel dos Santos | Foto: Guilherme Taboada/CPB
That’s right, the best BC2 boccia athlete is Brazilian. Although the convocation has not been officially announced yet, Maciel dos Santos is a sure name on the list because he is the leader of the world ranking.
This will be the seventh world championship for him, who has already won two medals in this competition: silver in teams and bronze in individual, both in 2014, in China.
Now, he comes strong in search of an unprecedented world champion title. Can you imagine if this coronation comes at home with the whole crowd on his side?
4) Legacy of the Rio 2016 Games
Paralympics Games Rio 2016 – Marcelo dos Santos, Eliseu dos Sanos and Dirceu José Pinto | ©Daniel Zappe/MPIX/CPB
And speaking of fans, the Rio de Janeiro 2022 Boccia World Championships will be held on the same stage as the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games, when Brazilians won two medals: a gold and a silver.
At least four medalists who stood on the podium in 2016 will be back for the main competition until Paris 2014.
5) Athletes from all continents (except Antarctica)
Rio de Janeiro 2022 World Boccia Championships | @Dantas Jr
More than 170 athletes from 40 countries are confirmed. That’s right: the “crème de la crème” of paralympic Boccia, which is the sport practiced by people with a high degree of physical impairment, from Europe, Asia, Oceania, Africa, and the Americas will be in Rio de Janeiro.
6) Brazil is very good at this sport
London, United Kingdom. Paralympics Games 2012 | @Guilherme Taboada/CPB
It is a pride to say that Brazil has already won eleven medals in the Paralympics and seven in World Championships.
Since 2008, in Beijing, there has always been the presence of a Brazilian on the podiums in boccia at Paralympic Games, with golds and the Brazilian national anthem playing!
In world tournaments, such as the one that will take place in December, in Rio, Brazilians have not been left behind either. The greatest medalist is Eliseu dos Santos (BC4) with four medals: one gold, two silvers and one bronze; followed by the Dirceu Pinto. Dirceu won a gold and a silver alongside Eliseu plus a silver in the individual. And Maciel dos Santos closes this triple list with one silver and one bronze.
7) Men and women compete separately
This will be the first world championship in which there will be individual competitions between men and women. Until then, it was a mixed competition, which restricted the possibilities of medals, influenced the world ranking and, consequently, the investment in the sport as a grant.
Rio de Janeiro 2022 World Boccia Championships – Arena Carioca 1 – Holand | @Bruno de Lima
RJ 2022 World Boccia Championships – Arena Carioca 1 – Great Britain | @Bruno de Lima
8) Brazilians are very good hosts
Boccia World Cup 2006 – Copacabana | @Ande
Rio de Janeiro is the only city in the world to hold the paralympic boccia world championship for the second time. The first time was in 2006, in Copacabana.
Speaking of world championships, it is also worth mentioning that Brazil participated for the first time in 2002, in Portugal, and since then, it has always been with full strength.
