Rayssa Mendonça shines at the Virtus Paralympic Athletics World Championships in Australia, and Nicoly Pereira wins bronze at the South American Wrestling Championships in Rio de Janeiro

Betim sports continue to reach the international stage with the talent of athletes trained by the Ramacrisna Institute. Last week, two representatives of the institution achieved impressive results in world and continental competitions.

Paralympic athlete Rayssa Mendonça, a member of the Viva o Esporte (Long Live Sports) project carried out by Ramacrisna in partnership with the Betim City Hall, cemented her participation in the 2025 Virtus World Athletics Championships, held between October 8 and 15 in Brisbane, Australia, with three important medals: two silver and one bronze, in addition to winning 4th place in the triathlon and 6th place in the 100 and 200 meters.

Called up by the Brazilian Confederation of Sports for the Intellectually Disabled (CBDI), Rayssa represented Brazil in a team composed of nine athletes and six members of the technical committee. The competition, organized by Sport Inclusion Australia and conducted by Queensland Athletics, was supported by the Australian Government, the Queensland Government, and the Brisbane City Council, bringing together more than 300 athletes from 30 countries.

For the vice president of the Ramacrisna Institute, Solange Bottaro, the result is a source of pride and proves the transformative power of sport. “Rayssa’s trajectory is inspiring. Seeing an athlete trained by one of our projects climb onto the podium at yet another world championship shows the power of sport as an instrument of inclusion and human development. She represents everyone with grit and determination,” she celebrates.

South American Wrestling Championship

While Rayssa stood out in Australia, another athlete from the Institute also represented the country with excellence. Nicoly dos Santos Pereira, a member of the Ramacrisna wrestling team, won the bronze medal at the South American Wrestling Championship, held between October 10 and 12 in Rio de Janeiro.

The tournament, promoted by the Brazilian Wrestling Confederation and endorsed by United World Wrestling (UWW), brought together more than 600 athletes from countries such as Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Jamaica, El Salvador, Mexico, and Peru.

According to sensei Caliton Silva, the team’s coach, Nicoly’s achievement is the result of continuous and dedicated work. “Nicoly has been standing out for her commitment and technical evolution. This medal is the result of effort and focus, and shows that we are on the right track in training athletes capable of competing at a high level. With this latest achievement, the Ramacrisna Institute reaffirms its commitment to the athletic and social development of young talents, contributing to the appreciation of sport as a tool for transformation,” says the sensei.