TODOS VENCEM: UM OLHAR PARA A PARTICIPAÇÃO ESPORTIVA DE ATLETAS DO ATLETISMO PARALÍMPICO ESCOLAR

The athletic development of young people with disabilities has shifted towards holistic approaches, such as Long-Term Athlete Development, which value physical literacy and global development. Paralympic athletics is a foundational sport and the most practiced modality in the Brazilian School Paralympics. Competitive sports participation is crucial for obtaining classification for athletes with disabilities, in addition to contributing to physical, psychological, and social well-being. Thus, this study aimed to describe the level of competitiveness, map the possible events, and quantify athlete participation in the School Selection (SEs) of school paralympic athletics in Brazil in 2025. To this end, a descriptive and quali-quantitative study was conducted, based on the documentary analysis of official competition bulletins from the Brazilian Paralympic Committee (CPB) for the 2025 state SEs. Data were tabulated and analyzed using descriptive statistics (absolute numbers and percentages). Low competitiveness was observed: 74.95% of the 2112 events had only one registered athlete, resulting in an automatic gold medal. Only 4.7% of the events had more than three participants. Of the over 1200 athletes, 76 (6.2%) did not obtain medals, predominantly those with intellectual disabilities. The results indicate low competitiveness and a significant gap in school paralympic sports participation. It is crucial to strengthen the sports culture by encouraging broad and early participation, aligned with the 'Sport for Life' philosophy, aiming at the integral development and inclusion of youth with disabilities in the national sports scene. Received: 2026/01/04 Reformulated: 2026/03/23 Accepted: 2026/03/24