Brazil Achieves Success at South American Indoor Athletics Championships

COCHABAMBA, Bolivia — The Brazilian athletics team kicked off its international 2025 season on Saturday, February 22, at the South American Indoor Championships. Held at the Municipal Stadium of Cochabamba, Brazil secured nine medals on the first day, including three golds.

Thiago do Rosário André claimed Brazil’s first gold by finishing the men’s 1,500 meters in a record time of 3 minutes, 50.09 seconds. He was followed by Ana Carolina Azevedo, who achieved gold in the women’s 60 meters with a time of 7.16 seconds, and Tamara Alexandrino de Sousa, who won gold in the pentathlon with a score of 4,294 points.

In addition to the three golds, Brazil also earned three silver medals. Ana Caroline Miguel achieved silver in the women’s shot put, throwing 16.55 meters, while Felipe Bardi secured silver in the men’s 60 meters with a time of 6.64 seconds. Roberta Almeida finished second in the women’s pentathlon with a score of 4,253 points.

The bronze medals were awarded to Lívia Avancini in the shot put with a throw of 15.92 meters, July Ferreira in the 1,500 meters with a time of 4 minutes, 37.14 seconds, and Eliane Martins in the long jump with a leap of 6.24 meters.

Remarkably, two Brazilian athletes set new championships records. Thiago do Rosário André established a new record in the 1,500 meters, while Tamara Alexandrino de Sousa’s performance in the pentathlon broke the previous mark.

The competition continues on Sunday, February 23, with opportunities for athletes to qualify for the upcoming World Indoor Championships set to take place in Nanjing, China, from March 21 to 23. Ana Carolina Azevedo expressed her aspirations after her performance, stating, “I’m eager to break the record, and I believe I’m close. I ran a good time, but I could do better. I want to run faster.”

Azevedo’s time was just one-hundredth of a second shy of the World Athletics minimum standard for the World Indoor Championships, and she hopes one day to not just match but break the current national record held by Vitória Rosa.

Tamara Alexandrino de Sousa shared her excitement after winning the pentathlon, saying, “I’m very happy with the gold and the result at my first South American Championships. I really enjoyed the hurdles event.”

In a competitive atmosphere, Thiago André noted the advantage of acclimatizing to Cochabamba’s high altitude over the past month. “The focus was not on time today but on being first and earning points in the World Ranking,” he stated. The 29-year-old athlete, who trains with EC Pinheiros, is optimistic about his future performances.

Despite Brazil’s successes, there was disappointment when Olympic athlete Matheus Lima, a favorite in the men’s 400 meters, suffered a sharp pain in his right hamstring and had to drop out during the semifinals while leading his heat. Matheus is currently receiving treatment from the medical team.