The second night of the Paralympic Awards, organized by the Brazilian Paralympic Committee (CPB) and which honors the highlights of Brazilian parasports, crowned the season of Yelstin Jacques and Maria Carolina Santiago. This Wednesday (9), the sprinter and swimmer, champions at the Tokyo Games (Japan), were elected the best Paralympic athletes in the country in 2021. On Tuesday (8), they had won the disputes in their respective modalities. (athletics and swimming).
“It is an honor to receive this award, which I wanted to dedicate to each athlete, to each athlete-guide that accompanies us, to each tapper [profissional que auxilia os nadadores cegos nas provas]. Also dedicate to my family, wife, who helps me, plays the role of guide and accompanies me in training”, celebrated Yelstin, who was twice to the top of the podium of the T11 class (blind) in Tokyo, in the five thousand and in the 1, 5 thousand meters (m), event in which he broke the world record and won the 100th Paralympic gold in Brazil.
YELTSIN JACQUES IS HIS NAME! After two gold medals at the Tokyo Games, among them Brazil’s 100th gold medal in the Paralympic Games, the sprinter was chosen as the Best Athlete of the Year!#Paralympics Award per @lotterycaixa pic.twitter.com/czmVKsc5hc
— Brazilian Paralympic Committee (@cpboficial) February 10, 2022
“What an amazing night! I am really happy. I wanted to thank God for my story and dedicate this trophy to my parents, who have always encouraged me since I was a child, followed me since I was a child. They are largely responsible for who I am today. Thank my coaching staff, my club, Grêmio Náutico União [de Porto Alegre]. It is a joint, daily, delivery work. I had the best professionals by my side”, said swimmer Maria Carolina Santiago, Paralympic champion in the 50 and 100 meters freestyle and in the 50 m breaststroke in the S12 class (low vision).
Carol also competed for the Atleta da Galera award, in an online vote that ended during this Wednesday’s ceremony, but Thalita Simplício came out on top. The T11 class sprinter obtained 39% of the public’s preference, also outperforming swimmer Gabriel Araújo, pitcher Beth Gomes and pitcher Thiago Paulino.
“I am very surprised! I competed with people who have been in Paralympic sport for a long time. Is it a dream or truth? [risos]. This trophy is ours!”, celebrated Thalita, silver in the 100 and 200 m in the Japanese capital.
YOU VOTED AND IT WAS DECIDED: Thalita Simplício is #AtletaDaGalera in a fierce vote! pic.twitter.com/v59e8WtSJN
— Brazilian Paralympic Committee (@cpboficial) February 10, 2022
Gabrielzinho and Beth were also awarded. The swimmer, who won two gold medals in the S2 class (physical-motor disability) in Tokyo, was elected the revelation of Brazilian parasports. The pitcher, champion of the F52 class (wheelchair users without trunk control), won the Braskem Award, which honors the athlete who stood out for exemplary and inspiring behavior, offered by a sponsor of the Paralympic athletics team.
“I am very happy at such a young age, at 19, to win the medals and this award. I thank those who cheered for me, who gave me the opportunity. I have a very special memory, which was the day the Committee opened a campsite for lower class athletes [as de maior comprometimento físico-motor] and it was there that I was sure that I wanted to be an athlete”, said Gabriel, winner in Tokyo in the 200m freestyle and the 50m backstroke.
“It’s an incredible moment in my life. I want to thank my family, friends and CPB, which gave me the opportunity to continue in the sport and achieve the feats. I also want to thank my coach [Roseane Farias]because without her I wouldn’t be here. I don’t know what MS can bring, so every day I thank God for speaking, seeing and breathing,” Beth commented.
The ceremony also paid tribute to former swimmers Daniel Dias and André Brasil. The first ended his career after the Tokyo Games, with 27 Paralympic medals won, 14 of which were gold. The second, who was on the podium 14 times in the Paralympics, was considered ineligible for the Paralympic movement after a controversial functional reclassification (the process that defines the category in which the athlete will compete) in 2019.
Can’t miss tribute to THE LEGEND, huh? You dispense with introductions, @danieldias88. Thanks for everything! And what a moment: Raquel, his wife, presented the Prize!
if you’re not logged in @sportvI think better watch, huh?#Paralympics Award per @lotterycaixa pic.twitter.com/HBJ15n7Al3
— Brazilian Paralympic Committee (@cpboficial) February 9, 2022
“I can only thank the Paralympic movement for being part of this history, winning medals. How nice to be Brazilian, to be able to see Gabrielzinho dancing here and on the swimming podium. We can continue to make history, be among the top five in the world [no quadro de medalhas]”, declared Daniel.
“You took me by surprise [risos]. There is life after sport. I think I just have to say thank you. That [prêmio] it just reflects how nice it is to be part of something that makes a difference to so many people. That sport can be, in fact, a tool [de transformação]as we want and have always done”, said André.
His history and contribution to Paralympic sport will never be forgotten, @andrebrasils10. Fair tribute!#Paralympics Award per @lotterycaixa pic.twitter.com/bG4iU8To2c
— Brazilian Paralympic Committee (@cpboficial) February 9, 2022
The best coaches of 2021 were also awarded. Among the individual modalities, the winner was Leonardo Tomazelo, from swimming, who ended the Tokyo Games with the best performance in history: there were 23 medals, eight of which were gold, won by five different athletes. In team sports, the victory went to Alessandro Tosim, who led the men’s goalball team to the unprecedented Paralympic title in Japan.
Leonardo Tomasello is the best Individual coach! He is head coach of swimming, a sport that had his best campaign in the Paralympic Games during Tokyo 2021.#Paralympics Award per @lotterycaixa pic.twitter.com/HRrNFPrA1e
— Brazilian Paralympic Committee (@cpboficial) February 9, 2022
Another four awards were handed out this Wednesday. Aldo Miccolis, intended for people or institutions that contributed to parasports, went to Alberto Martins, technical director of the CPB and head of the country’s delegation in Tokyo. The Brazilian Confederation of Sports for the Visually Impaired (CBDV) won the Caixa Award, aimed at entities whose modalities shone at the Games. The Committee’s medical coordinator, Roberto Vital, received the Paralympic Memory trophy. Pedro Guimarães, president of Caixa Econômica Federal, was elected Paralympic Personality.
The Aldo Miccolis Award is given to people who have worked hard for a cause. It’s only fair that he goes to Alberto Martins, who was our technical director for 4 Paralympic Games missions#Paralympics Award per @lotterycaixa pic.twitter.com/CQUwhX86IS
— Brazilian Paralympic Committee (@cpboficial) February 9, 2022
