Young Brazilian athletes prepare for regional and national competitions

Several young Brazilian athletes are preparing for upcoming regional and national competitions.

Joana Caroline Tavares Melo, a 12-year-old roller freestyle skater recently called up to the Brazilian national team, will compete in the second stage of the Circuito Paulista in Guarulhos on August 15 and 16. Currently leading the competition, Melo is using this event as high-level preparation for the World Skate Games 2026 in Paraguay, where she will represent Brazil in the Street and Park categories.

In taekwondo, four young athletes from the Instituto Vem Ser project—Nickole Fernanda Pereira, Isadora Sofia, Laura Aparecida, and Maria Helena Silva—have qualified for the Super Campeonato Brasileiro de Taekwondo. The national championship will take place in Brasília from August 12 to 16. The athletes secured their spots following performances in the state circuit, representing a community program that provides free classes with support from Gerdau.