Yuri Keven secured third place for the Minas Gerais delegation in the team competition in Paraíba (PB)
Since November 13, the Youth Games have showcased promising young athletes in 18 Olympic disciplines. The event, held in João Pessoa, Paraíba, will conclude next Thursday, November 28. The Minas Gerais delegation ranked among the top seven in the number of participants, with 168 athletes. Among them, five athletes from the Ramacrisna Institute in Betim represented Minas Gerais: Joyce Alessandra, Yasmin Santos, and Luiz Felipe competed in judo, while Yuri Keven participated in wrestling (one of the oldest combat sports). These young athletes are part of the VALE program—Vencer, Acreditar, Lutar, Engajar (Win, Believe, Fight, Engage)—conducted by Ramacrisna and sponsored by Vale through the Federal Sports Incentive Law. Additionally, Pedro Yago, a participant in the Viva o Esporte project, organized in partnership with Betim City Hall, competed in taekwondo.
Accompanied by Ramacrisna coaches Caliton Silva and Ralph Eufrasio from the Viva o Esporte project, these athletes made history in the competition.
Yuri Keven da Silva earned Ramacrisna’s first medal in the Youth Games, securing third place in the men’s team wrestling competition. Another standout was Yasmin Santos, who achieved fifth place in her debut at a national competition.
“We are very proud of our athletes. They trained hard and demonstrated outstanding performance. Representing Betim and Minas Gerais at such a prestigious event is an honor for all of us,” said coach Caliton Silva.
For Ramacrisna’s vice-president, Solange Bottaro, sports serve as a transformative pillar. “Sports are a powerful tool for social transformation. At the Institute, we encourage participation in competitions that provide visibility and opportunities for our youth. Every achievement fills us with pride and reinforces our mission to change lives through education and sports,” she affirmed.
About the Youth Games
Since 2000, the Youth Games, organized by the Brazilian Olympic Committee (COB), have become one of Brazil’s leading sports development events. The 2024 edition featured 4,208 athletes from 27 state delegations and over 5,000 members of technical and arbitration teams. Competitions spanned 18 Olympic disciplines, with participants accommodated in 27 hotels and served 70,000 meals during the event.
Olympic medalists such as Rebeca Andrade (artistic gymnastics), Beatriz Souza (judo), and Caio Bonfim (racewalking) participated as ambassadors.
