Maria Carolina Gomes Santiago

Started: She began swimming at age four in Sao Paulo, Brazil. She took up competitive Para swimming in 2018. (cpb.org.br, 05 Apr 2020; folhape.com.br, 01 Jul 2019) Reason: As a child, she was told swimming was the only sport that did not cause any risk to her eye condition. She used to go with her brother to his swimming sessions. "I went along with him during his training and I would swim in the side lane." (blogs.correiobraziliense.com.br, 11 Mar 2020; folhape.com.br, 01 Jul 2019) Ambition: To compete at the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris. (swimchannel.net, 04 May 2024) Milestones: At the 2020 Paralympic Games in Tokyo she became the first female swimmer representing Brazil to claim three gold medals at a single edition of the Games. Her five total medals in Tokyo also made her the Brazilian female swimmer with the most medals at a single edition of the Paralympic Games. She was Brazil's most successful athlete in any sport at the 2020 Paralympic Games in terms of both gold and total medals. (SportsDeskOnline, 04 Mar 2022; gauchazh.clicrbs.com.br, 03 Sep 2021) Awards: She was named Para Sportswoman of the Year by the Brazilian Paralympic Committee [CPB] for both 2021 and 2022. (cpb.org.br, 09 Feb 2023; agenciabrasil.ebc.com.br, 09 Feb 2022) She was named Para Swimmer of the Year by the CPB in 2019, 2021, and 2022. (cpb.org.br, 08 Feb 2023, 01 Jan 2022; bestswim.com.br, 31 Dec 2019; olimpiadatododia.com.br, 12 Dec 2019) Additional Info: SWIMMING COMEBACK Born with an eye condition, she competed in non-Para swimming throughout her childhood but gave up the sport at age 17 when an accumulation of water in her retina left her without any sight for almost eight months. "I had water in my retina and I was completely blind. I couldn't swim because I didn't trust that I wouldn't crash into something. It was a really bad time in my life that I don't even like to talk about too much. I returned to swimming because I needed to get some exercise. I was afraid of gaining too much weight. At 27, I felt too much time had passed without having done any kind of workout, so I decided to return. I had kept putting it off and thought I was too old for sport." (blogs.correiobraziliense.com.br, 11 Mar 2020; folhape.com.br, 01 Jul 2019; globoesporte.globo.com, 13 Dec 2014) OPEN WATER SWIMMING In 2013 she started open water swimming. She found the sport challenging with her vision impairment, and switched to Para swimming in 2018. "I had to follow someone in order to not miss the course buoys, because I cannot see them. I swam with fear of getting lost. The coolest thing was when I finished. I thought, 'Gee, I did it'. Sometimes I got lost, but then I waited in the middle of the sea waiting for an athlete to help. It's a bit scary, but there's always someone on the team that will come along." (folhape.com.br, 01 Jul 2019; globoesporte.globo.com, 13 Dec 2014)