Impairment Information |
Type of Impairment |
Vision impairment |
Classification |
T11, F11 |
Guide |
Rafael Luiz [husband] |
Further Personal Information |
Family |
Husband Rafael, daughter Barbara |
Residence |
Joinville, BRA |
Occupation |
Athlete, Business Owner, Motivational Speaker |
Languages |
Portuguese, English |
Higher education |
Physical Education - Claretian University Centre: São Paulo, BRA |
Sport Specific Information |
When and where did you begin this sport? |
She took up athletics at age 13 at the Sao Rafael Institute in Belo Horizonte, Brazil. |
Why this sport? |
She was offered the chance to take up adaptive sports by a teacher at her school. |
Training Regime |
She trains six days a week. |
Senior International Debut |
Year |
1988 |
Competing for |
Brazil |
Tournament |
Paralympic Games |
Location |
Seoul, KOR |
General Interest |
Most influential person in career |
Her daughter. (Athlete, 30 Nov 2010) |
Hero / Idol |
Paralympic athlete Antonio Delfino. (Athlete, 30 Nov 2010) |
Injuries |
An injury to the meniscus in her knee stopped from competing at the 2012 Paralympic Games in London. (brasil.gov.br, 10 Nov 2012)
She had knee surgeries in 1994 and 2003. (Athlete, 30 Nov 2010) |
Superstitions / Rituals / Beliefs |
She wears the Brazilian colours in every international competition. (Athlete, 30 Nov 2010) |
Sporting philosophy / motto |
"Always believe in your dreams. " (Athlete, 30 Nov 2010) |
Awards and honours |
She has been named the Most Influential Brazilian Athlete by Forbes magazine. (Athlete, 30 Nov 2010) |
Famous relatives |
Her husband Rafael Luiz is a former pole vaulter. (xinhuanet.com, 09 Apr 2010) |
Impairment |
She was born with pigmentary retinosis and astigmatism, and gradually lost her vision as she grew up. She stopped wearing glasses at age six and was completely blind by 1994. (noodls.com, 17 Aug 2013; Athlete, 31 Aug 2004) |
