Brazilian paralympic swimming has stood out on the world stage, revealing athletes who are true examples of talent. In recent years, our country has been one of the leading countries in producing record-breaking swimmers. Among them are Brazil’s biggest names in paralympic swimming today.
And it is precisely about them that we will talk in this article! Highlighting their achievements, challenges and the legacy they are building for national and international sport.
These athletes, with their impressive trajectories, continue to raise the name of Brazil in the pools of the world, and have many chances to bring home many Paralympic medals!
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Brazil’s biggest names in paralympic swimming today
Carol Santiago
- Class: S12
Carol Santiago is one of Brazil’s biggest names in paralympic swimming today and we’ll probably be hearing a lot about her during the Paris 2024 Games.
The athlete was born with Morning Glory syndrome, which reduces her field of vision and classifies her as visually impaired.
Paralympic swimming began in 2018 and Carol is currently the world record holder in the 50m freestyle.
| Among the rules of Paralympic swimming is the classification of athletes. Each swimmer is divided into classes, for example, S + the athlete’s class number (freestyle, backstroke and butterfly). The number is defined according to the disability present. Check it out: – Classes 1 to 10 Athletes with physical-motor limitations – Classes 11 to 13 Athletes with visual impairments – Class 14 Athletes with intellectual impairments The greater the impairment, the lower the class number. The greater the degree of impairment, the lower the class number. |
As you can see below, the athlete has an extensive list of titles and medals, including gold at Tokyo 2020 in three events: 50m, 100m freestyle and 100m breaststroke.
Main titles
- Gold in the 50m freestyle, 100m freestyle, 100m butterfly and the 4x100m medley relay 49 points and 4x100m freestyle relay 49 points at the Santiago 2023 Parapan American Games
- Gold in the 100m backstroke, 100m butterfly, 100m freestyle, 50m freestyle and 4x100m medley relay, silver in the 100m breaststroke and bronze in the 200m medley relay and 4x100m medley relay at the World Championships in Manchester 2023
- Gold in the 100m butterfly, 100m breaststroke, 50m freestyle, 100m freestyle, 4x100m freestyle relay and 4x100m medley relay and silver in the 100m backstroke at the World Championships in Madeira Island 2022
- Gold in the 50m and 100m freestyle and 100m breaststroke, silver in the mixed 4x100m freestyle relay 49 points, bronze in the 100m backstroke at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games
- Gold in the 50m and 100m freestyle and silver in the 100m backstroke and 4x100m freestyle relay 49 points at the London 2019 World Championships
- Gold in the 50m freestyle, 100m freestyle, 100m backstroke and 400m freestyle at the Lima 2019 Parapan American Games.
Douglas Matera
- Class: S12
In the same class as Carol, Douglas also has a visual impairment as a result of retinitis pigmentosa, a hereditary genetic mutation that causes gradual loss of vision.
He is the brother of swimmer Thomaz Matera, who took part in the Rio 2016 Games and encouraged him to take up paralympic swimming.
Today, he is one of Brazil’s biggest names in paralympic swimming and one of our country’s biggest medal chances.
It’s worth noting that Douglas is already an Olympic medalist, with silver in the relay at the Tokyo Olympics.
Read also: Learn all about paralympic swimming: how it works, classifications and more
Main titles
- Gold in the 50m freestyle, 100m backstroke, 100m butterfly, 100m freestyle, 200m medley and 400m freestyle, as well as the 4x100m medley relay 49 points and 4x100m freestyle relay 49 points at the Santiago 2023 Parapan American Games.
- Gold in the 100m butterfly and 4x100m medley relay and bronze in the 100m backstroke at the World Championships in Manchester 2023
- Gold in the 4x100m freestyle relay at the World Championships in Madeira Island 2022
- Silver in the mixed 4x100m freestyle relay 49 points at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games
- Silver in the 200m medley, 100m freestyle and 50m freestyle and gold in the 100m backstroke, 100m butterfly and 400m freestyle at the Lima 2019 Parapan American Games.
Gabriel Araújo
- Class: S2
Gabriel Araujo, or Gabrielzinho, as he is known, was born with phocomelia, a disease that prevents the normal formation of arms and legs.
The Minas Gerais native was introduced to swimming by a Physical Education teacher and has become a medal phenomenon in the pool, with two Olympic gold medals won in Tokyo 2020.
Today, it’s impossible to talk about Brazil’s biggest names in paralympic swimming and not mention him.
Main titles
- Gold in the 50m freestyle, 50m backstroke, 100m freestyle, 100m backstroke and 200m freestyle at the Santiago Parapan American Games 2023
- Gold in the 50m backstroke, 100m backstroke and 200m freestyle at the World Championships in Manchester 2023
- Gold in the 100m backstroke, 50m backstroke and 200m freestyle at the Madeira Island World Championships 2022
- Gold in the 200m freestyle and 50m backstroke and silver in the 100m backstroke at the Tokyo Paralympic Games
- Gold in the 50m and 100m freestyle, silver in the 200m freestyle and bronze in the 100m backstroke and 50m butterfly at the Lima 2019 Parapan American Games.
Gabriel Bandeira
- Class: S14
Gabriel Bandeira is also an icon of Paralympic swimming and has made history.
The athlete started in the category in 2020, and in his first competition he broke four Brazilian records!
In 2021, during the Tokyo Olympics, he climbed to the top of the podium , winning gold in the 100m butterfly.
Now, three years later, we’ll see him in Paris, defending our country and bringing home more medals.
Main titles
- Gold in the 100m breaststroke, 100m backstroke, 100m butterfly, 200m medley and 200m freestyle at the Santiago Parapan American Games 2023
- Gold in the 100m butterfly, silver in the 100m backstroke and bronze in the 4x100m freestyle and 4x100m medley relays at the World Championships in Manchester 2023
- Gold in the 200m freestyle, 200m medley and 100m butterfly, silver in the 100m backstroke and bronze in the 4x100m mixed freestyle relay and 4×100m mixed medley relay at the World Championships in Madeira Island 2022
- Gold in the 100m butterfly, silver in the 200m freestyle and 200m medley and bronze in the 4x100m mixed freestyle relay S14 at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games
- Gold in the 100m butterfly, 100m breaststroke, 100m backstroke, 200m medley, 100m and 200m freestyle at the European Championships in Madeira (Portugal) 2021.
Read also: TOP 10 Best paralympic athletes in Brazil today: strong names for the Olympic podium
Talisson Glock
- Class: S6
Current 400m freestyle world champion, won in Manchester in 2023, Talisson lost an arm and a leg when he was 9 years old and was hit by a train.
He has been a member of the Brazilian national swimming team since 2010 and is going on to another Paralympic Games, being among Brazil’s biggest names in Paralympic swimming today.
Main titles
- Gold in the 100m freestyle, 400m freestyle and 4x100m freestyle relay 34 points, silver in the 200m medley and bronze in the 100m backstroke at the Santiago 2023 Parapan American Games
- Gold in the 400m freestyle, silver in the 100m freestyle and 4x50m freestyle relay and bronze in the 4x100m freestyle relay at the World Championships in Manchester 2023
- Bronze in the 200m medley and 400m freestyle at the World Championships in Madeira Island 2022
- Gold in the 400m freestyle and bronze in the 100m freestyle and mixed 4x50m freestyle relay 20 points at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games
- Gold in the 4x100m freestyle relay, silver in the 100m backstroke and 200m medley, bronze in the 50m freestyle and 100m freestyle at the Lima Parapan 2019
- Gold in the 100m backstroke, silver in the 50m butterfly and bronze in the 200m medley at the World Championships in Mexico in 2017
- Silver in the 4x50m freestyle relay and bronze in the 200m medley at the 2016 Rio Games
- Gold in the 100m backstroke, silver in the 400m freestyle, silver in the 50m butterfly, bronze in the 50m and 100m freestyle at the Toronto Parapan 2015
- Silver in the 100m backstroke and 200m medley at the Glasgow World Championships in 2015
- Silver in the 100m freestyle and 200m medley at the Montreal World Championships in 2013
- Gold in the 100m backstroke at the 2011 Parapan in Guadalajara.
Laila Suzigan
- Class: S6
Laila Suzigan started swimming as a form of rehabilitation for health problems associated with hereditary spastic paraparesis, which she has lived with since the age of six.
But swimming became an even bigger part of her life when she turned professional and became one of Brazil’s biggest names in paralympic swimming today.
She won no less than four gold medals at the 2023 Parapan American Games, as well as two silver medals.
In other words, this is a name you need to follow in upcoming competitions.
Main titles
- Gold in the 50m freestyle, 100m breaststroke, 400m freestyle, and the 4x50m freestyle relay 20 points, as well as silver in the 50m butterfly and 200m medley, at the Santiago 2023 Parapan American Games
- Bronze in the 4x100m medley relay at the Manchester 2023 World Championships
- Silver in the 400m freestyle at the World Championships in Madeira Island 2022
- Gold in the 100m breaststroke and 200m medley, silver in the 100m freestyle, 50m freestyle and 4x100m medley relay, bronze in the 400m freestyle and 4x100m freestyle relay at the Lima 2019 Parapan American Games.
- Gold in the 50m, 100m and 400m freestyle at the 2017 Parapan American Youth Games in São Paulo.
Ruan Souza
- S10 class
After being hit by a car, Ruan was left with one leg smaller than the other and had to deal with some complications with his lower limb.
In 2012 he joined the Brazilian Youth National Team and then continued his professional career, being one of the most important names in our country, and will be in Paris with his sights set on his first gold medal.
Main titles
- Silver in the 100m breaststroke and 200m medley at the Santiago 2023 Parapan American Games
- Bronze in the 4x100m medley relay at the Manchester World Cup 2023
- Bronze in the 4x100m medley relay at the Rio 2016 Games.
Cecília Araújo
- Class S8
Cecília’s first contact with swimming was to rehabilitate her movements, which came about as a result of cerebral palsy.
However, her passion and talent for the sport have made her one of Brazil’s biggest names in paralympic swimming today.
With four gold medals at the Santiago 2023 Parapan American Games, she is one of the country’s great hopes for Paris 2024.
Main titles
- Gold in the 50m freestyle, 400m freestyle, 4x100m medley relay 34 points and 4x100m freestyle relay 34 points, silver in the 100m backstroke, 100m butterfly and 200m medley relay; bronze in the 100m freestyle at the Santiago 2023 Parapan American Games.
- Gold in the 50m and 100m freestyle and bronze in the 400m freestyle and 4x100m medley relay at the World Championships in Manchester 2023
- Gold in the 50m freestyle and bronze in the 100m freestyle at the World Championships in Madeira Island 2022
- Silver in the 50m freestyle at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games
- Silver in the 50m freestyle at the London 2019 World Championships
- Gold in the 50m, 100m freestyle and 400m freestyle, 100m butterfly, silver in the 4x100m medley relay and bronze in the 100m backstroke and 4x100m freestyle relay at the Lima 2019 Parapan American Games;
Samuel de Oliveira
- Class S5
Samuel had both arms amputated as a result of a 13,000-volt electric shock, which he suffered while trying to remove a kite from a pole.
Swimming came about as a rehabilitation activity and became a path to success.
At the Santiago 2023 Parapan American Games, Samuel won seven gold medals, joining the list of Brazil’s biggest names in paralympic swimming today.
Main titles
- Gold in the 50m freestyle, 50m backstroke, 50m butterfly, 100m freestyle, 200m freestyle and the 4x50m freestyle 20-point relay and 4x50m medley 20-point relay at the Santiago 2023 Parapan American Games.
- Gold in the 50m butterfly and bronze in the 50m freestyle at the World Championships in Manchester 2023
- Gold in the 50m backstroke, 50m butterfly and 4x50m freestyle relay and silver in the 50m freestyle and 200m medley at the 2022 World Championships in Madeira Island.
Read also: TopParalympic medalists: the top 20 champions
Lidia Cruz
- Class S4
Associated with myelomeningocele, which affects the lower limbs, Lígia suffered a brain injury that reduced her ability to move her upper limbs. It was during her rehabilitation process that paralympic swimming entered her life and never left!
Like the other athletes we’ve featured here, Lígia is one of Brazil’s biggest names in paralympic swimming today and is going for a medal at the Paris Paralympics.
Main titles
- Gold in the 50m freestyle and silver in the 50m backstroke, 100m freestyle and 200m freestyle, as well as bronze in the 50m breaststroke and 150m medley, at the Santiago 2023 Parapan American Games
- Silver in the 100m freestyle and 4x50m freestyle relay at the World Championships in Manchester 2023
- Gold in the 4x50m freestyle relay, silver in the 100m freestyle, 200m freestyle and bronze in the 50m freestyle at the 2022 World Championships in Madeira Island.
List of Brazil’s 10 biggest names in paralympic swimming today
On the list of Brazil’s 10 biggest names in paralympic swimming today are:
- Carol Santiago
- Douglas Matera
- Gabriel Araújo
- Gabriel Bandeira
- Talisson Glock
- Laila Suzigan
- Ruan Souza
- Cecília Araújo
- Samuel de Oliveira
- Lidia Cruz
Now that you know our great athletes, it’s time to cheer them on to victory!
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