With support from Loterias Caixa, Brazil had its best performance at the Paris Paralympic Games. The delegation broke world, Paralympic, gold medal and podium records.
Brazil ranked 5th in the Paralympic Games medal table, totaling 89 podiums. The goal of the Brazilian Paralympic Committee (CPB) was between 70 and 90 medals and the top-8 in golds, which was achieved and even surpassed in Paris.
Best campaign of the Paralympic Games
“In every Brazilian today, a Paralympic heart beats, so I want to thank you very much for your commitment, the games were extensive. Such extraordinary results provided by our athletes here”, said Mizael Conrado, two-time Paralympic champion as a blind football player (Athens 2004 and Beijing 2008) and president of the Brazilian Paralympic Committee (CPB)
“The result of the Paralympic Games was exceptional, but we cannot talk about this result without going back to 2017, when we created our strategic plan and which was a compass over the last eight years, it was he who guided us here” , he added.
He also pointed out that “Brazil made me very proud here in Paris. A campaign with 89 medals, 25 gold, 26 silver, 38 bronze. A campaign that could have been even better. We just need to remember that we lost two races by two hundredths.”
“I have no idea what two hundredths is. So, it really is an impeccable campaign, the highest number of medals in total, the highest amount of gold, the total number of medals, from 72 to 89, our target was 75 to 90″, he concluded.
The historic campaign featured some aspects that were notable in Paris 2024. Check it out:
Top-5 for the first time
For the first time in history, Brazil finished among the top five at the Paralympic Games in the medals table. There were 25 gold medals, which leaves the country behind only China (94), the United Kingdom (49), the United States (36) and the Netherlands (27).
In the total number of podiums, only three countries achieved more than Brazil, which had 89: China (220), Great Britain (124) and the United States (105).
Record of golds in the competition
Brazil ended its participation in Paris with 89 podiums, 25 gold, 26 silver and 38 bronze, surpassing the Tokyo 2020 and Rio 2016 campaigns by 17 podiums.
In Paris, the Brazilian delegation won its 400th medal, ending with 462 podiums in total, and approaching the mark of 500 podiums for 2028, in Los Angeles. Athletics reached the mark of 200 medals in history and swimming, 150 podiums.
Gold record
Brazil surpassed the number of gold medals won in a single edition, with 25 in total. The previous record, 22, was recorded in Tokyo 2020. The country’s total number of podiums at the Paralympic Games is now 462, including 134 gold, 158 silver and 170 bronze.
Record number of medals in one day
On the penultimate day of competition, Brazil had its most successful day in the history of the Paralympic Games. The country won 16 medals on Saturday, September 7 alone: six gold, three silver and seven bronze. During the period in Paris, Brazil won at least ten medals in five days of the Games, on 8/30, 10/31, 9/2, 9/3, and 9/7.
Record number of participants abroad
The Brazilian delegation included 280 athletes participating in the Paris Paralympic Games. The Brazilian Paralympic Committee called up 255 athletes with disabilities, and 19 guide athletes (18 from athletics and 1 from triathlon), three boccia runners, two blind football goalkeepers and a rowing helmsman also traveled to France.
Previously, the largest national team was a total of 259 called up in Tokyo 2020. The country’s record number of participants was at the 2016 Rio Games, when Brazil hosted 278 athletes with disabilities.
Record female participation
In Paris, of the 255 athletes with disabilities called up, 117 were women, or 45.88% of the total number of competitors, which represents a historic record. The number represents the largest Brazilian female call-up in the history of the Paralympic Games both in quantity and in percentage terms.
In numbers, the athletes who will be in the French capital surpassed the number called up in the 2016 edition, in Rio de Janeiro, when Brazil had 102 women, which represented 35.17% of the total delegation.
Brazilian women won 43 medals in Paris, 13 gold, 12 silver and 18 bronze, fourth best in the medals table, behind China, the United Kingdom and the United States.
Breaking several records
Brazilians broke six world records, five in athletics and one in swimming.
In athletics, with Yeltsin Jacques from Mato Grosso do Sul in the 1500m T11, who had a time of 3min55s82. With São Paulo native Júlio César Agripino dos Santos, who ran 14min48s85 in the 5000m T11. Acre Jerusa Geber, who did 100m T11 with a time of 11s80. Rayane Soares da Silva from Maranhão, who did the 400m T13 in 53.55 and Beth Gomes from São Paulo, who scored 7.82m in the F53 shot put.
In swimming, the world record came from Gabrielzinho, from Minas Gerais, who did the 150m medley SM2 in 3:14.02.
Paralympic records
Brazil also broke eight Paralympic records in Paris, three in athletics, one in canoeing, two in weightlifting and two in swimming.
In athletics, Claudiney Batista dos Santos from Minas Gerais achieved 46.86m in the F56 class discus throw to break the new Paralympic record. Beth Gomes from São Paulo scored 17.37m in the F53 discus throw. And Jerusa Geber dos Santos from Acre did the 200m T11 in 24.51.
In canoeing, Fernando Rufino from Mato Grosso do Sul completed the 200m VL2 in 50s47. In weightlifting, Mariana D’Andrea from São Paulo lifted 148kg in the up to 73kg category. Tayana Medeiros from Rio de Janeiro lifted 156kg in the up to 86kg category.
In swimming, Lídia Vieira da Cruz from Rio did the 50m freestyle S4 in 38s61. Carol Santiago from Pernambuco did the 50m freestyle S12 in 26.71.
Unprecedented medals
Brazil expanded the diversity of medals with three disciplines that had never reached the podium. In badminton, Vitor Tavares from Paraná won bronze in the SH6 singles class.
In sports shooting, Alexandre Galgani from São Paulo won silver in the R5 10m air rifle class, mixed prone position SH2. And in triathlon, Ronan Cordeiro from Paraná won silver in the PTS5 class.
Pernambuco swimmer Carol Santiago won three gold medals in Paris and became the woman with the most gold medals in Brazilian history. She now has six gold medals, the previous record was held by Ádria Santos, who has four. In total, Carol Santiago has 10 podiums.
Support from Caixa Lotteries at the Paris Paralympic Games
Since 2003, Loterias Caixa has increasingly supported national Paralympic sport. Over 21 years of partnership with the Brazilian Paralympic Committee (CPB), more than 355 million reais were invested.
This support was fundamental for Brazil to become a Paralympic power. The country went from 24th place in 2000 to 7th place in 2021, winning 72 medals at the Tokyo Games.
In 2023, Loterias Caixa renewed its sponsorship with CPB. The partnership continues with annual investments of R$35 million, allowing the maintenance of 67 Reference Centers. In other words, this support benefits more than 3,500 athletes, from beginners to high-performance athletes.
This sponsorship is the longest in the history of global Paralympic sport. Loterias Caixa are official sponsors of several sports, such as goalball, table tennis, bocce, swimming and sitting volleyball.
