Sixteen year old Melissa Berry from Caterham is flying to Brazil to take part in the Brazilian Paralympic National Schools Championships, the largest para-sport school event in the world, the Brazilian Paralympic School Games start in Sao Paulo on Monday 25 November, and run until Friday 29 November. Approximately 1,300 students, 12 to 20 years old, will be competing in 10 sports: boccia, judo, table tennis, sitting volleyball, football 5-a-side, football 7-a-side, goalball, wheelchair tennis, swimming and athletics. Organised by the Brazilian Paralympic Committee (BPC), in partnership with the State Government of Sao Paulo, and with the municipal government of the city, the competition will encourage students with physical, visual and intellectual impairments to participate in sports.

This will be Melissa’s first international race and she will be running in the 1500 metres as part of the Great Britain Talented Athlete Scholarship Scheme (TASS).

Melissa, who is a lower sixth form student at Caterham School, has also been selected for this year’s Paralympic Talent Development Squad aimed at athletes considered to have medal potential at future Paralympic Games.