Biography
Started: He began swimming at age four in Coimbra, Portugal. (Athlete, 12 Aug 2018; diariocoimbra.pt, 23 Mar 2018)
Reason: It was part of his physical therapy treatment and he liked being in the water. (Athlete, 12 Aug 2018; diariocoimbra.pt, 23 Mar 2018)
Ambition: To compete at the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris. (Paralimpicos Portugal YouTube channel, 21 Apr 2023)
Awards: He and shooter Margarida Lapa were Portugal's flag bearers at the opening ceremony of the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris. (medias.paris2024.org, 28 Aug 2024)
In 2023 he received the Sports Merit Award from the Portuguese Institute of Sports and Youth. (Louzan Natacao/EFEPEL Facebook page, 25 Oct 2023)
In 2019 he was named Male Athlete of the Year in Miranda do Corvo, Portugal. (asbeiras.pt, 16 Oct 2019)
Additional Info: AWARD-WINNING PHOTO
He was the subject of the photo that won first prize in the sport category at the 2020 Siena International Photo Awards. The photographer, Ian MacNicol, captured him practising in the pool at the 2019 World Series event in Glasgow, Scotland. (sipacontest.com, 30 Oct 2020)
Frequently Asked Questions
Personal Details
GenderMale
Birth DateJuly 21, 2002
OccupationAthlete, Student
EducationUniversity of Coimbra, Portugal
Languages SpokenEnglish, Portuguese
CoachGoncalo Neves [personal]; Vitor Ferreira [personal]
Highlights
| Rank | Event | Year | Location | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paralympic Games | ||||
| 8 | 200m Individual Medley - SM8 | 2020 | Tokyo, JPN | 2:33.36 |
| 9 | 100m Butterfly - S8 | 2020 | Tokyo, JPN | 1:05.69 |
| 11 | 100m Backstroke - S8 | 2020 | Tokyo, JPN | 1:15.63 |
| 12 | 100m Breaststroke - SB8 | 2020 | Tokyo, JPN | 1:19.30 |
| World Championships | ||||
| 2 | 200m Individual Medley - SM8 | 2023 | Manchester, GBR | 2:22.50 |
| 3 | 200m Individual Medley - SM8 | 2022 | Funchal, POR | 2:29.21 |
| 4 | 50m Freestyle - S8 | 2023 | Manchester, GBR | 27.55 |
| 7 | 100m Butterfly - S8 | 2022 | Funchal, POR | DSQ |
| 7 | 200m Individual Medley - SM8 | 2019 | London, GBR | 2:38.55 |
| 9 | 100m Backstroke - S8 | 2019 | London, GBR | 1:16.69 |
| 9 | 100m Butterfly - S8 | 2019 | London, GBR | 1:07.97 |
| 12 | 100m Breaststroke - SB8 | 2019 | London, GBR | 1:22.97 |
| 13 | 100m Freestyle - S8 | 2022 | Funchal, POR | 1:04.19 |
| 13 | 50m Freestyle - S8 | 2022 | Funchal, POR | 32.52 |
| DNS | 100m Breaststroke - SB8 | 2022 | Funchal, POR | DNS |
| Para Swimming European Open Championships | ||||
| 2 | 200m Individual Medley - SM8 | 2024 | Funchal, POR | 2:27.82 |
| 3 | 100m Butterfly - S8 | 2024 | Funchal, POR | 1:04.84 |
| 6 | 100m Backstroke - S8 | 2024 | Funchal, POR | 1:11.37 |
| 6 | 400m Freestyle - S8 | 2024 | Funchal, POR | 4:34.61 |
