Between October 8 and 19, 2024, athletes from the Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul (UFMS) will participate in the 72nd edition of the Brazilian University Games (JUBs) in Brasília. Despite the challenges, 35 athletes from UFMS will represent the university and the state in various sports, including athletics, swimming, judo, and more. This event holds significant importance in the student sports landscape, bringing together approximately 7,000 competitors from 375 institutions across the country.
Growth of University Sports at UFMS
Despite the difficulties faced in recent years, UFMS has stood out in supporting university sports. According to Edineia Ribeiro, secretary of Sports Projects and Events, the university has invested more in programs such as Athlete Scholarship, in addition to improvements in sports facilities. As a result, the number of athletes at UFMS has been growing, reflecting the encouragement and support provided by the institution.
Debut and Veteran Athletes
Luan Machado Mendonça, a Physical Education student, is making his debut in the Academic JUBs, presenting a paper on sports.
Although this is his first participation, he hopes to make the most of the opportunity to expand his knowledge and also build new connections at the event. Additionally, he aims to engage with other athletes and researchers. On the other hand, when it comes to experienced athletes like Lucas Almeida from swimming and Thaís Raiane Piva from cheerleading, it is important to highlight that they already have experience from previous editions of the JUBs. Thus, they return this year even more confident, expecting not only to surpass their own records but also to achieve new victories for their teams.
In this way, we can observe the unity between the newcomers, who bring fresh energy, and the veterans, who use their experience to motivate others.
Expectations for Good Results
Even with stiff competition, UFMS athletes are optimistic. The university's sports team believes that, with combined effort and accumulated experience, the results can be even better than in previous years. Therefore, it is possible that UFMS will achieve new podium finishes and highlights in various sports.
The first phase of the games, from October 8 to 13, will feature competitions in athletics, swimming, and other sports. The second phase, from October 14 to 19, will be marked by cheerleading competitions.
