Darwin Gustavo Castro Reyes

Started: He took up the sport in 2013. (Athlete, 14 Nov 2019) Reason: Sport was a tool he used to help him deal with losing his vision. "I first tried blind football, then swimming, and even goalball. But it was when I tried athletics that I noticed I had found my sport." (eltelegrafo.com.ec, 17 Aug 2019) Ambition: To compete at the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris. (elmercurio.ec, 03 Apr 2024) Awards: He was named among the Best Performance Athletes of the Year at the 2019 Paralympic Gala organised by the Ecuadorian Paralympic Committee and the Ministry of Sports in Ecuador. (elmercurio.com.ec, 19 Dec 2019) He was flag bearer for Ecuador at the opening ceremony of the 2019 Parapan American Games in Lima, Peru. He carried out the same role at the closing ceremony of the 2015 Parapan American Games in Toronto, ON, Canada. (lahora.com.ec, 16 Aug 2019; paralympic.org, 15 Aug 2015) He was named Outstanding Para Athlete of the Year by the Sports Journalists' Association in Ecuador in 2018. (hermanosenderica.com, 03 Apr 2019) He was named the 2014 Vision Impaired Athletics Competitor of the Year by the Ecuadorian Paralympic Committee. (parasport-news.com, 31 Dec 2014) Additional Info: GUIDING INFLUENCE He has spoken about the positive influence Sebastian Rosero has had on his life. Rosero initially served as his guide before taking up a full-time coaching role in 2022. "Sebastian gave me a new hope when all my life seemed to have no sense at all. Athletics came along and my guide, who now I consider my brother." (pichinchacomunicaciones.com.ec, 08 Mar 2019; paralympic.org, 06 Sep 2016; El Mercurio, 14 Dec 2022)