Former Chiquitita is Brazil’s promise at the Paralympics: meet Giovanna Boscolo

Actress Giovanna Boscolo, who played Michelle in the remake of “Chiquititas”, has already landed in Paris. She will represent Brazil in the shot put and club throw at the Paralympics.

Club throwing, a sport exclusive to the Paralympic Games, involves throwing a type of bowling pin from a distance.

Giovanna, 21, was diagnosed at the age of 15 with a neurodegenerative disease called Friedreich’s ataxia. Symptoms include loss of motor coordination and loss of balance. The disease can also cause heart disease.

In a video on Instagram, Giovanna tells her story since discovering she had the disease and explains her symptoms. “I have difficulty with balance and coordination, but I’m still going strong with my physical therapy,” she says.

The athlete can walk short distances, but practices the sport using a support chair.

The daughter of physical educators, Giovanna practiced aerobic gymnastics and participated in tournaments. At the age of 15, however, the symptoms of ataxia began to appear and she had to stop practicing.

Her curiosity about genetics led her to study biomedicine at college. “Most of the time, what seems like a stumbling block is actually the greatest opportunity to build a castle, you just need to change your perception,” Giovanna wrote about a month ago, when she announced her call to Paris.