Rondônia launches 2026 school sports competition across nine cities

The 2026 Jogos Escolares de Rondônia (Joer) began on 9 September, with regional phases scheduled in nine host cities throughout the state. The event, organized by the State Government through the Secretaria de Estado da Educação (Seduc), will involve 7,375 participants, including 6,293 student‑athletes and 1,082 officials, coaches and delegation members. Competitions cover athletics, basketball, badminton, futsal, handball, karate, beach volleyball, volleyball, table tennis and chess, with dedicated security personnel deployed for the duration.

Vilhena will field a delegation of 206 members, competing in all 14 sports disciplines of the Jogos Intermunicipais de Rondônia (JIR 2026). The tournament runs in two stages, from 13 August to 30 August and from 10 September to 20 September, featuring a mix of individual and team events such as karate, judo, taekwondo, jiu‑jitsu, table tennis, beach volleyball, volleyball, futsal, capoeira, basketball, handball, football‑society, cycling and chess. The city aims to improve on its 2025 performance, where it finished second overall behind Porto Velho.