Ricardo Steinmetz Alves

Started: He got involved in the sport at age 15 while he was at school. (Athlete, 20 Jul 2016) Reason: His family moved to Porto Alegre, Brazil, when he was age 10 so he could attend a school for people with a vision impairment. He tried swimming and athletics but was spotted for his talent for 5-a-side football. "It is what I do well." (litoralmania.com.br, 06 May 2019; Athlete, 20 Jul 2016; globoesporte.globo.com, 18 Aug 2015) Ambition: To compete at the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris. (folha.uol.com.br, 28 Mar 2021) Milestones: At the 2020 Paralympic Games in Tokyo, he and teammates Damiao De Souza Ramos and Jeferson Da Conceicao each won their fourth career Paralympic gold medal in the sport, equalling the record for the most football 5-a-side gold medals at the Games. The first player to win four Paralympic gold medals in the sport was fellow Brazilian Marcos Alves Felipe [2004-2016]. (SportsDeskOnline, 01 Jul 2024) Awards: He was named Para Football 5-a-side Player of the Year by the Brazilian Paralympic Committee [CPB] for 2012, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, and 2023. (olimpiadatododia.com.br, 13 Dec 2023; boletimosotogari.com, 20 Dec 2023) In 2019 he received the Medal of Merit from the city council of Osorio in Brazil. (litoralmania.com.br, 06 May 2019) He was named Best Para Football 5-a-side Player in the world in 2006, 2014, and 2018. (folha.uol.com.br, 28 Mar 2021) In 2018 he was named Best Male Athlete by the Brazilian Paralympic Committee [CPB]. (terra.com.br, 12 Dec 2018) Additional Info: ROCK BAND He has been the bass player and songwriter for a rock band called CartAberta [Open Letter]. (folha.uol.com.br, 28 Mar 2021)