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OVER 800 STUDENTS ATTEND GOALBALL MATCHES THANKS TO “SOY LIMA 2019” CAMPAIGN
The sports competitions were held at the Miguel Grau Stadium and 830 students enjoyed the Peru vs. Mexico (women’s), Brazil vs. Guatemala (men’s), and United States vs. Brazil (women’s) matches.
Brazil and Guatemala were playing the last minute of the men’s goalball match. Students from General Prado from Bellavista, Nuestra Señora de las Mercedes Nº 5076 school from Callao, and Manuel Seoane school in the district of Mi Perú, were following every play closely, in absolute silence.
They were able to enjoy the goalball match at the Miguel Grau Stadium in Callao thanks to the “Soy Lima 2019” campaign. This initiative included 31 institutions in its first stage, promoting the Olympic and Paralympic values with activities and sociocultural performances; in its second stage, it raised students' awareness of new Para sport disciplines.
But the inspiring moment took place after this last minute: Leomon Moreno Da Silva, the world's best goalball player and scorer of the 95 goals which led Brazil to the 2018 world championship, stood up and walked onto the stands to join the musical celebration typical of Lima 2019.
The Brazilian team, along with Moreno Da Silva, sang “Cariñito”, jumped together with the three schools’ students, took selfies with each group, and shouted out “Perú, Perú, Perú!” and “We can do it! We can do it!”, as a way to acknowledge the Lima 2019 Parapan American Games excellent organization.
The excitement brought by this was felt throughout the Miguel Grau Coliseum, located in the district of Bellavista, Constitutional Province of Callao. Volunteers gathered together, sang and laughed with the goalball players. This sport was created for the community of persons with visual impairment to allow them to play with passion.
Sports as a Life-changing Experience
Teacher César Castillo Reyes, from General Prado school, highlighted that the Pan American and Parapan American Games are the most beautiful events ever held in Peru and they have raised the students' awareness of the inclusion of persons with an impairment thanks to the “Soy Lima 2019” campaign.
For him, the most important legacy of the Games is that sports are an element of change for society. They encourage children to do sports, be focused and competitive, feel proud of representing Peru and stay busy by doing positive activities for society.
Teacher Brigitte Palacios from Nuestra Señora de las Mercedes Nº 5076 school agreed that doing sports is important for students and that these competitions help teach them different subjects, such as Math, Science and Environment, Civics, all of them oriented to the Lima 2019 Games.