Red and black gymnastics at the Universiade
Petrix Barbosa will take Flamengo's name to the international competition held in China
By Official Website Team - in
The Brazilian artistic gymnastics delegation at the 26th Universiade will have a Flamengo representative. Petrix Barbosa, a business administration student, will be part of the men's team that will compete from August 12th to 23rd in the main international multisport university competition in Shenzhen, China. Flamengo will also have Tales Cerdeira in swimming, and Gege and Fred Duarte, known as Varejinho, in basketball.
This is the 19-year-old's first time competing in the competition, which features university students competing in 24 sports. In the pre-Olympic year, Petrix sees it as a great opportunity to better prepare and gain experience for the London Games.
"It's undoubtedly a very important competition. It's only not more important than the World Championships because it's not an Olympic qualifier, but it will also bring together the best gymnasts in the world," said the athlete, who began participating in major global events this year.
Going to college and training for around six hours a day may seem almost impossible, but the gymnast believes it's possible to combine both with dedication.
"I just started my second year of college. I passed all my classes. Sometimes it's difficult because of the travel; we spend a lot of time away competing for the national team. I keep in mind that gymnastics is temporary, and I need to be prepared for when I stop," he explained.
Regarding the possible winning of a medal, Petrix prefers to be cautious, despite considering himself prepared for the challenge.
"I really don't know what to expect. I've been training and dedicating myself a lot since I arrived at Flamengo in January. My results this year show that. I want to help the Brazilian team and achieve a good result in the individual all-around. I have a personal goal in terms of points, and if I achieve that, I'll be happy," he said, noting that his biggest rivals are the home team, the Chinese.
The Universiade is held every two years by the Federation of Universities and University Sports (FISU) in different cities and countries. This year, the event is expected to bring together 13.000 people, including athletes, coaches, and officials, from over 100 countries and regions around the world. The artistic gymnastics competitions will be held from August 13th to 16th at the Shenzhen Bao'an Gymnasium.
This is the 19-year-old's first time competing in the competition, which features university students competing in 24 sports. In the pre-Olympic year, Petrix sees it as a great opportunity to better prepare and gain experience for the London Games.
"It's undoubtedly a very important competition. It's only not more important than the World Championships because it's not an Olympic qualifier, but it will also bring together the best gymnasts in the world," said the athlete, who began participating in major global events this year.
Going to college and training for around six hours a day may seem almost impossible, but the gymnast believes it's possible to combine both with dedication.
"I just started my second year of college. I passed all my classes. Sometimes it's difficult because of the travel; we spend a lot of time away competing for the national team. I keep in mind that gymnastics is temporary, and I need to be prepared for when I stop," he explained.
Regarding the possible winning of a medal, Petrix prefers to be cautious, despite considering himself prepared for the challenge.
"I really don't know what to expect. I've been training and dedicating myself a lot since I arrived at Flamengo in January. My results this year show that. I want to help the Brazilian team and achieve a good result in the individual all-around. I have a personal goal in terms of points, and if I achieve that, I'll be happy," he said, noting that his biggest rivals are the home team, the Chinese.
The Universiade is held every two years by the Federation of Universities and University Sports (FISU) in different cities and countries. This year, the event is expected to bring together 13.000 people, including athletes, coaches, and officials, from over 100 countries and regions around the world. The artistic gymnastics competitions will be held from August 13th to 16th at the Shenzhen Bao'an Gymnasium.