Raimundo Nonato Alves Mendes

Started: He began playing football as a child in Oroco, Brazil. He took up Para football 5-a-side at age 23 in Petrolina, Brazil. (rededoesporte.gov.br, 15 Sep 2016; Athlete, 01 Apr 2016) Reason: He was introduced to Para football 5-a-side in 2010. "I always liked football. I developed skills with a conventional ball just by listening to the sound it made. [In 2010] someone from the Petrolina Association of the Visually Impaired asked me if I was interested in playing Para football. So I accepted, discovered the ball that was used, and took up the sport that lit up my eyes." (sagresonline.com.br, 17 Apr 2023) Ambition: To win gold at the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris. (jornalnh.com.br, 19 Sep 2023) Awards: He was named Para Football 5-a-side Player of the Year for 2019 and 2021 by the Brazilian Paralympic Committee [CPB]. (ge.globo.com, 09 Feb 2022) In 2016 he was named Para Athlete of the Year in the Brazilian state of Pernambuco. (blogfolhadosertao.com.br, 23 Dec 2016) Additional Info: SKILLS He played on dirt pitches as a boy, which not only helped him develop his skills but also meant he could play with his friends. "There wasn't a cement pitch [where he grew up in Oroco, Brazil]. The ball made a sound on the dirt, that's how I knew where it was. [Shooting first-time] is a reflex that I have tried to improve. My hearing is good because I played with a conventional football on the ground, but with the [special] ball it became easier for me to hear it and to know exactly where it is so I can try a shot." (rededoesporte.gov.br, 15 Sep 2016)