Canoeists in action during the modality test | Photo: Alessandra Cabral/CPB
Registration remains open for athletes and associations, with registration in good standing, until May 12. The Paralympic canoe-kayak events will be 200m, in the categories KL1, KL2, KL3, VL1, VL2, VL3, KLT1, KLT2. All with the participation of male and female athletes.
In the first phase of this yearheld in Campo Grande (MS), Paraná canoeist Igor Tofalini, world champion in the 200m VL2 (athletes who use the torso and arms in rowing) he won gold in the same event. He completed the distance in 49s090.
The money went to Mato Grosso do Sul Fernando Rufino, Paralympic champion at the Tokyo Games and world vice-champion in Halifax, Canada last year. In the Copa Brasil, Fernando finished the race in 50s080.
In less than a year, the two canoeists have achieved three doubles: the World Cup, the Pan American Paralympic Canoe and, now, the Copa Brazil. In all these competitions, the man from Paraná had the advantage.
“Every day is a race for us. we’re training [ele e Fernando] together in Ilha Comprida (SP). So we always do our best. I feel privileged to train alongside great athletes like Fernando. This good fight makes me enter the water with more courage and the desire to win medals”, evaluated Igor, representative of the Yacht Club of Londrina, at the time.
*With information from the Brazilian Canoeing Confederation (CBCa)
Athletes Fernando Rufino and Igor Tofalini are members of the Loterias Caixa High Performance Athlete Program, Loterias Caixa’s individual sponsorship program which benefits 91 athletes.
Communications Office of the Brazilian Paralympic Committee (imp@cpb.org.br)
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