Carolina Duarte

Started: She took up the sport in around 2004 with the Belenenses club in Lisbon, Portugal. (publico.pt, 04 Sep 2016) Reason: She tried several sports growing up, including judo, tennis, volleyball, horse riding and football. She was inspired to take up athletics after watching Portuguese sprinter Francis Obikwelu win silver in the 100m at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens on television. She then took up Para athletics on the advice of her coach Chris Junior Zah while she was living in London, England. (publico.pt, 04 Sep 2016; beautyshop.pt, 01 Jan 2016; Paralimpicos Portugal YouTube channel, 21 Dec 2022) Ambition: To compete at the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris. (Paralimpicos Portugal YouTube channel, 17 Jul 2023) Awards: In 2023 she received the Sports Award for People with an Impairment at the Business Awards Gala promoted by the Sport Foundation of Portugal. (fundacaodesporto.pt, 27 Oct 2023; Instagram profile, 27 Oct 2023) She received the Medal of Merit from the Portuguese Paralympic Committee for her performances in the 2022/23 season. (paralimpicos.pt, 09 Oct 2023) In 2019 she received a Stromp Award in Lisbon, Portugal. (sporting.pt, 03 Dec 2019) Additional Info: BREAK AND RETURN In December 2020 she took time away from the sport in order to start a family, which meant she was unable to compete at the 2020 Paralympic Games in Tokyo. Her daughter Carlota was born in July 2021 and she returned to training three weeks later. (Paralimpicos Portugal YouTube channel, 21 Dec 2022) BUSINESS She runs a business called 'Catos da Cuca' [Cuca's Cactus] in Lisbon, Portugal. She sells cactus arrangements and mini-gardens. (Instagram profile, 18 Jun 2020; Catos da Cuca Instagram profile, 17 Feb 2021) OTHER ACTIVITIES She has served as president of the Portuguese Paralympic Athletes' Commission. (LinkedIn profile, 01 May 2017)