Athletes drop Olympic dreams to help Brazil flood victims
STORY: :: Some Brazilian athletes are giving up their Olympic
dreams to help those affected by the deadly flooding
:: May 10, 2024
:: Porto Alegre, Brazil
:: Rowers Evaldo Becker and Piedro Tuchtenhagen
were due to compete in the qualifying phase for the Games
:: Piedro Tuchtenhagen, Rower
“This whole catastrophe that we are experiencing here took us a little by surprise, we had been training and had the idea of an Olympic dream with qualification, but after seeing over the days the situations we were facing, that all the people of Rio Grande do Sul are facing, seeing our family, friends, colleagues, seeing the population in need, Evaldo and I talked a lot and decided to give up the pre-Olympics and focus our energies here in Rio Grande do Sul, our state, to help our families and friends.”
Rowers Evaldo Becker and Piedro Tuchtenhagen, due to compete in the qualifying phase for the Olympic Games in the lightweight double sculls category, decided to drop their sporting quest and join volunteers saving stranded neighbors, finding them shelter and distributing aid.
Swimmer Viviane Jungblut, who already qualified for the open water race, also dropped out and said on social media she would put her efforts into the rescue and recovery operations.
World and Olympic surfing champion Italo Ferreira, who is from São Paulo, went to Rio Grande do Sul to volunteer in the rescue efforts. The coach of the Brazil Olympic men's judo team, Antonio Carlos Kiko Pereira, also joined in rescue work.
