It marked one of the most unforgettable moments in the history of Brazilian judo. By rising to the highest podium at Paris 2024, Bia Souza became the first Brazilian female Olympic debutant to win an individual gold medal. Today, with her announcement as the new ambassador of Team Neoenergia, the athlete will help to further strengthen the presence of women on and off the tatami. Her arrival also consolidates Neoenergia’s leadership as a company recognized today in the energy sector for being the greatest supporter of women’s sport in Brazil.
“I gave up a lot to achieve Olympic gold. As I like to say: one life for one day. Thanks to the partnership with Neoenergia, I have the opportunity to show girls and women that my journey of strength and overcoming was worth it. Sport can offer countless victories that go far beyond medals,” says Bia Souza. At just 26 years old, the athlete was adopted by the Brazilians. On the day of the competition in Paris, she had 13,000 followers on Instagram. Today, she has amassed over three million fans on social media.
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Bia Souza is the seventh athlete to join Team Neoenergia, which focuses on promoting gender equity and supporting women’s sports in Brazil. The sponsorship also strengthens the partnership between Neoenergia and the Brazilian Olympic Committee (COB), established this year until 2025, to support athletes in various Olympic disciplines, benefiting female athletes. The judoka will now benefit from significant support to improve the quality of her training for future competitions.
“We aim to empower more women to reach Olympic podiums and world championships, by providing energy and inspiration. Neoenergia is very proud to make a difference in the development of women’s sport in the country. Additionally, the selection of Bia Souza broadens our reach while reinforcing our objective of promoting the role of women in society”, underlines Lorenzo Perales, marketing director of Neoenergia.
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The athlete’s choice was also influenced by their connection to the company’s values of racial and gender diversity. By 2030, Neoenergia is committed to increasing the number of women and individuals of African descent in leadership positions by 40%.
What few people know is that Bia – in the heavy category above 78 kg – has an impressive career with significant results achieved before the Paris Olympics. She is a sergeant 3rd class in the Brazilian Army and has been on the podiums of the World and Pan American Championships 21 times from 2017 to 2024. She achieved her first major success at the World Championship in 2017, winning silver in Budapest during the mixed team event. In the same city, in 2021, she won bronze in the individual tournament. She is a four-time Pan American champion (2017, 2021, 2022, 2023) and a three-time world champion (2019, 2021, 2023).
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Team Neoenergia includes other athletes from various sports. Among them: Ana Vitória Magalhães, known as Tota, Brazilian road cycling and time trial champion; Bruna Kajiya, four-time kitesurfing world champion; Mirelle Leite, double South American champion in the 3,000 meters steeplechase in the under-23 category; Ana Marcela, Olympic open water swimming champion at Tokyo 2020; Celine Bispo, South American youth swimming champion; and Antonia Silva, footballer and silver medalist at Paris 2024.
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