The trajectory of the duo Emanuelly Pereira and Quemile Souza continues to gain new and important chapters. The Brazilian athletes qualified directly for the Main Tournament of the Qingdao Futures in China, which is part of the 2025 edition of the International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) beach volleyball world circuit. With this achievement, they have reached ranking 9 in the competition, consolidating their position as one of the sport’s great promises.
The ranking represents an unprecedented milestone in the career of the pair, who are taking part in a competition outside Brazil for the first time. They enter the tournament as one of the 16 teams directly qualified for the main stage, without having to compete in the qualifying round – a preliminary stage that brings together 12 other pairs fighting for just four places.
The pair’s progress is the result of consistent work and a lot of overcoming, as coach Giuliano Sucupira recalls. “The first thing is to understand that the world circuit is very difficult to get into and we’ve been fighting for a while. We managed to get into Maricá last year here in Brazil, we came off the reserve list, we went to the Qualifying tournament, we got on the podium in third place, and that, thanks to the results of the Brazilian Championship, put us ahead of some teams who were also vying for a place. With the team evolving, investing and working hard, we decided to sign up for two stages of the world circuit in China,” says the coach.
Giuliano also points out that playing in the Futures tournament is an essential part of the strategy to reach greater heights. “We’re playing the Futures, which, although it represents a slightly lower score, will help us score points to be able to play the Challenge and Elite in the future, with a view to the 2028 Olympics, always with the support of the Viva o Esporte project. We’ve been awarded this place in the main tournament for the Qingdao stage in China. We’re going to play two stages and, in this first one, we’re already guaranteed a place in the main tournament. Now it’s time to get a medal for Betim and Brazil.”
The emotion and enthusiasm is also felt by Quemile, who proudly celebrates the achievement. “I’m very happy, it’s a very important achievement for our team. It will be our first time competing in a World Cup abroad. My expectations are the best and, without a doubt, we’re going to fight to bring good results and medals for the Viva o Esporte project and for our country,” she enthuses.
The pair were based on the Viva o Esporte project, run by the Ramacrisna Institute in partnership with Betim City Hall. For Solange Bottaro, vice-president of the Institute, the moment is one of immense pride. “It’s exciting to see how investment in sport and social inclusion can transform lives. Manu and Quemile are a reflection of what we believe at Ramacrisna, that with opportunity, structure and dedication, it is possible to dream big. Seeing athletes who started out with us gaining prominence on the international sports scene fills us with pride and reinforces the importance of public policies aimed at sport and youth,” he celebrates.
Now, with full focus on the performance in Qingdao, the team continues to train intensely. Giuliano stresses that the objective is clear. “We know how big the challenge is, but that’s what we’re here for. We want to win important points and remain steadfast in our goal: to place the pair among the best in the world and, perhaps, secure a place at the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028,” Giuliano concludes.
