SESC FLAMENGO

The junior world champion in the C1 1000m and C2 500m and the first Brazilian female canoeist at the Olympics now wears the Sacred Mantle! Mateus Nunes and Valdenice signed with Flamengo and are already acclimatizing for Paris 2024.

Mateus Nunes, 18 years old and born in Itacaré, Bahia, is the youngest red and black athlete and has just competed in the Junior Canoe Sprint World Cup in Plovdiv, Bulgaria, and won two gold medals. The first in the C1 1000m - competition from fellow Mengão athlete Isaquias Queiroz, and in the C2 500m. This was the last tournament before Mateus arrived in Paris for the Olympic games.

Valdenice Conceição arrives at Flamengo as the first athlete in history to win an Olympic place for Brazil in women's canoeing. At 34 years old and born in Maraú, Bahia, the canoeist is now part of the FlaCanoagem squad. Valdenice, known as “Neta Canoa” qualified for the games in the C1 200m race. In April 2024, Valdenice had already marked her place in the sport, by becoming the first Brazilian woman to win a speed medal at the Pan-American Canoeing Games, in the United States.

Mateus Nunes and Valdenice Conceição join Isaquias Queiroz and will compete in the 2024 Olympic Games as Flamengo athletes. 

The opening ceremony of the Paris Olympic Games starts this Friday- fair (26), but the 2024 edition of the event has already started with football and 7-a-side rugby, both in the men's category, on Wednesday (24). One of the biggest medal expectations for Brazil is artistic gymnastics, which has five Flamengo athletes in the country's delegation (four in the women's and one in the men's).

This Wednesday, through social media, Rubro-negro released videos with messages from the club's gymnasts who will represent Brazil in Paris. See below:

“This edition of the Games Paris Olympics we will try to improve participation. I was in Tokyo, I was the youngest on the team, I was going to gain Olympic experience and experience, to be among the best in the world. I took everything I learned in Tokyo and used it to work during these years until I arrived in Paris, and I will definitely arrive better than I arrived in Tokyo. I'm going to try to be among the top 10 in the world in the individual all-around. Any opportunity I have to take a final on the fixed or parallel bar, I will be prepared. The general individual is our focus. If everything goes much better than we expect, we want to be in the top five”, said Diogo.

“My expectations is that we arrive happy and healthy to give our best performances and represent our country and our club in the best way possible. As the years went by, we built many things within gymnastics, becoming even more physically and mentally mature to overcome obstacles. Unlike all countries, Brazil is very happy, cheerful, charismatic, everyone notices this and wants to be close to us”, said the Olympic champion.

“I hope we can enjoy every day from preparation to competition day. Every day can make a difference in the smallest details. We are anxious but want to enjoy each day. This team that is planned is a more experienced team, they are girls who have already competed in many games, world medalists, Olympic medalists. It's a very special team that Brazil has. The majority are predominantly from Flamengo, so we are very honored and privileged to be able to enjoy this moment. May we be very happy in Paris.” Flavia Saraiva

“Very happy to be able to represent my country once again at the Olympic Games. A different cycle from Tokyo, which had the pandemic. In 2016 it was my first Olympics. I hope to be very happy and represent my country in the best possible way”, commented the little giant.

“We have been preparing for many years. We train together, we want to get there and do our best. Unlike other years, our experience is much better, as a team, individually, we are happy, we feel good in the gym. Let's get there in the best way. The result will come, for sure.”

Choosing a location to hold football matches often involves a series of interests and logistical considerations. In the case of Palmeiras, which frequently uses the Arena Barueri stadium, located in Greater São Paulo, as its home ground for smaller games, the decision to change location generated speculation and debate among fans and the sports media.

According to Luiz Teixeira, the change of location of the game against Flamengo is not due to stadium availability issues or infrastructure problems, but rather a strategic decision. If it were against any other team, the game would be held in Barueri without further questioning. However, the choice to face Flamengo in a different venue raises questions about the reasons behind this decision.

The rivalry between Palmeiras and Flamengo is known for mobilizing a large number of fans and attracting media attention national. Therefore, the choice of location for this particular clash may have been influenced by a number of factors, including the stadium's ability to accommodate large numbers of spectators, security and logistical considerations, as well as commercial and marketing interests.

In addition, the geographic proximity between the stadiums of Palmeiras and Flamengo, both located in São Paulo, may have played a role in the decision to change the departure location. Moving to a different stadium can help balance fan support and ensure a competitive atmosphere during the game.

The news of the change of venue for the game generated mixed reactions among Palmeiras fans. While some expressed understanding regarding the strategic considerations behind the decision, others expressed discontent with the lack of transparency from the club's board regarding the matter.