(ANS - Niterói) - The Brazilian Paralympic athlete Pedro Neves, gold medallist at the Pan American Paralympic Games in Toronto, visited the Mama Margaret Salesian Oratory-Youth Centre in Niterói to talk to the young people about the importance of trying hard and believing in what you do if you are to succeed in life and achieve your dreams.

Pedro Neves lives in a favela in Niterói and at 37 years of age is about to realize his dream of representing Brazil in the Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro. He knows the meaning of the term "overcome". Due to lack of oxygen at birth his brain suffered paralysis that also caused atrophy in his right arm. This did not stop him from realizing his desire to become an athlete. In 1998 he joined in the Niteroi Association of the Handicapped and started training; and in 2015 he became Pan-American Paralympic Long Jump Champion setting a new national record.

On 5 January he told his story to approximately 200 young people who attend the summer camp in the Salesian centre every day.

In addition to playing and dancing along with the young people, the athlete told them his story, the story of a fight for a dream. Above all, he wanted the young people to get out of their heads the idea, so common among adolescents, that they must meet the expectations that others have of them: "You have to realize your own dreams and strive to achieve them, and to do that you should not pay too much attention to what others may say or think.”

Elaine Holanda, Director of the Salesian Centre, appreciates the presence of Pedro Neves. She says that "despite all the titles he has won, he has not forgotten his roots. He still lives in the community, and does not intend to abandon it. His example serves as an incentive for many of our young people, not only from a sporting perspective, but also in drawing up goals for life."

Sport as a means of socialization and ​​education has always been part of the Salesian charism. The Salesian Youth Centre in Niterói has made sport an important educational tool, which is getting great results, such as, for example, with the opening in 2013 of the Social and Sports School, the product of cooperation between Misiones Salesianas of Madrid and the Real Madrid Foundation.

Published 19/1/2016