16.06.2020

Sport climbing: from the school curriculum to the Olympics

During the second presentation of the “Optional Activities Cycle of Lectures”, the highlights were adventure sports, more precisely climbing. To better explain this modality, Beacon welcomed the athlete André Berezoski Neto and the PhD in Education, Dimitri Wuo Pereira, considered one of the first professionals to introduce adventure sports into the school curriculum in Brazil.

The conversation started with André’s testimonies on the beginning of his career and the passion he developed for climbing. The athlete said that he has been practicing the sport since he was 13 and that he has already climbed several peaks in Brazil and worldwide. Currently, he has a gym, works as an instructor and is part of a social project that aims to provide scholarships to children who want to practice this sport.

When asked about his profession, André highlights that he would not be able to pursue another career. “The best office I could ever want to work in is this one, I open my window and I already see “Pedra do Baú” (São Bento do Sapucaí). When we work with something we love to do, it is no longer just work. It becomes a pleasure at any moment”.

During the Live, students showed great interest in knowing how climbing will perform in the Olympics, which would have its first appearance this year in Tokyo. The guests explained that since this would be the first year, the modality would begin only as a sport of experimentation and, in order to be accepted, it was necessary to shape and merge the three pre-existing categories. However, due to the pandemic, games were postponed to the 2024 Olympics in Paris.

France has always been considered a great power in the climbing sport. In fact, Dimitri says that when he thought about developing the adventure sports project in the curriculum, he based his research on French data, since climbing has been part of the Physical Education curriculum in French schools since 1960.

In sports like this, nature is a leading figure. In order to get prepared, you need to know the type of rock or peak that you will climb, the slopes that exist in each one, what is the best climate to do the activity and the difficulties that may appear. This process is not only physical, but also to understand where you are and respect the environment around you. “It’s about finding the way to move yourself. It is being able to look and feel nature, the observation work becomes very strong”, explains André.

Throughout the conversation, both professional and personal aspects were subjects addressed by the students. Both guests highlighted the importance of planning and being prepared, not letting fear undermine their safety. André explained the challenges that may arise during the performance of the sport, brought the question of the unpredictable, about having to adapt, being flexible and knowing how to deal with the emotional side. “There is a major aspect of socialization in climbing. There is a group issue, a concern for the other. It is never an individual job. It is a big process of trust”, concludes Dimitri.