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DIAS Daniel
Sport Para swimming
NPC Brazil   
GenderMen
Age31
Place of BirthCampinas, BRA
Height1.71 m
Human Interest
Impairment Information
Type of Impairment
 Limb deficiency
Origin of Impairment
 Congenital
Classification
 S5, SB5, SM5
Further Personal Information
Family
 Wife Raquel, children Asaph [2014], Daniel [2016] and Hadassa [2019]
Residence
 Bragança Paulista, BRA
Occupation
 Athlete, Business Owner
Languages
 Portuguese
Higher education
 Marketing - Mackenzie Presbyterian University: São Paulo, BRA
Sport Specific Information
When and where did you begin this sport?
 He began swimming at age 16 in Sao Paulo, Brazil.
Why this sport?
 He was inspired to take up the sport after watching Brazilian swimmer Clodoaldo Silva compete at the 2004 Paralympic Games in Athens.
Club / Team
 Instituto Daniel Dias [IDD]: Bragança Paulista, BRA
Name of coach
 Leonardo Tomasello [national], BRA
Senior International Debut
Year
 2006
Competing for
 Brazil
Tournament
 World Championships
Location
 Durban, RSA
General Interest
Hobbies
 Playing the drums. (globoesporte.globo.com, 27 Aug 2018)
Most influential person in career
 His family. (Athlete, 19 Jul 2015)
Hero / Idol
 US swimmer Michael Phelps. (odia.ig.com.br, 11 Mar 2013)
Sporting philosophy / motto
 "Disability is a limiting word that classifies a person. We all have deficiencies and limits. I am not a disabled athlete, I am a Paralympic athlete." (arenasports.com.br, 03 Apr 2013)
Awards and honours
 He received the 2018 Walter Schmidt Trophy, an award that acknowledges the contribution of individuals who work for the development of the Brazilian health sector. (torcedores.com, 24 May 2018)

He was named Para Swimmer of the Year by the Brazilian Paralympic Committee [CPB] in 2011, 2012, 2013, 2016, 2017 and 2018. (cpb.org.br, 06 Dec 2018; globoesporte.globo.com, 04 Dec 2017, 07 Dec 2016; cielosports.com.br, 03 Apr 2013)

He was named Paralympic Athlete of the Year by the CPB in 2011, 2013 and 2017. (globoesporte.globo.com, 04 Dec 2017, 07 Dec 2016)

He was named the 2016 Male Athlete of the Year by GQ Brazil magazine. (sportv.globo.com, 10 Jan 2017; paralympic.org, 02 Dec 2016)

In 2016 he was named an Honorary Citizen of the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais. (orsm.com.br, 04 Feb 2017)

He won the Laureus World Sportsperson with a Disability of the Year award in 2009, 2013 and 2016. (rio2016.com, 19 Apr 2016; globo.com, 14 Mar 2013; paralympic.org, 12 Mar 2013)

He was named Para Swimmer of the Year by Swimming World magazine in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013 and 2016. (swimmingworldmagazine.com, 01 Dec 2017; gazetaesportiva.com, 12 Jan 2017)

He was Brazil's flag bearer at the opening ceremony of the 2012 Paralympic Games in London. (abril.com.br, 17 Jul 2012)
Milestones
 During the 2016 Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, he took his total of Paralympic medals to 24 and became the most successful male Paralympic swimmer of all time. His success at the 2016 Games [where he won a total of nine medals] ensured he surpassed the previous record of 23, held by Australian Matthew Cowdrey. (SportsDeskOnline, 29 May 2017; paralympic.org, 22 Sep 2016)
Ambitions
 To compete at the 2020 Paralympic Games in Tokyo. (terra.com.br, 09 Aug 2018)
Impairment
 He was born without hands. His right arm stopped at his elbow, while his left arm was also shorter and had just a single finger. His right leg finishes at his knee and he has no foot, so he uses a prosthetic to walk. (istoe.com.br, 30 Nov 2012)
Other information
 INSTITUTE
In 2014 he established the Instituto Daniel Dias in Braganca Paulista, Brazil, which aims to support new Para athletes as they take up the sport. "I believe in sport as a way of social inclusion. We might not be champions in sport, but we can be champions in life." (institutodanieldias.org.br, 21 Oct 2019; jtv.com.br, 13 Feb 2017; orsm.com.br, 04 Feb 2017)

Competition Highlights (historical)
Paralympic Games
Rank Year Event Result
2 2008 50m Freestyle S5 33.56
1 2008 100m Freestyle S5 1:11.05
1 2008 200m Freestyle S5 2:32.32
1 2008 50m Backstroke S5 35.28
2 2008 100m Breaststroke SB4 1:40.39
2 2008 50m Butterfly S5 36.25
1 2008 200m Individual Medley SM5 2:52.60
3 2008 4 x 50m Freestyle Relay 20 Points 2:30.17
4 2008 4 x 100m Freestyle Relay 34 Points 3:55.78
2 2008 4 x 50m Medley Relay 20 Points 2:39.31
8 2008 4 x 100m Medley Relay 34 Points 4:40.01
1 2012 50m Freestyle S5 32.05
1 2012 200m Freestyle S5 2:27.83
4 2012 4 x 100m Freestyle Relay 34 Points 3:55.63
1 2012 100m Breaststroke SB4 1:32.27
1 2012 50m Backstroke S5 34.99
1 2012 50m Butterfly S5 34.15
1 2012 100m Freestyle S5 1:09.35
7 2012 4 x 100m Medley Relay 34 Points 4:28.50 Q
1 2016 200m Freestyle S5 2:27.88
3 2016 50m Butterfly S5 35.62 
2 2016 4 x 50m Freestyle Relay 20 Points 2:25.45
2 2016 100m Breaststroke SB4 1:36.13
1 2016 50m Freestyle S5 32.78 
2 2016 4 x 100m Freestyle Relay 34 Points 3:48.98
1 2016 50m Backstroke S5 35.40 
1 2016 100m Freestyle S5 1:10.11 
3 2016 4 x 100m Medley Relay 34 Points 4:17.51 
ParaPan American Games
Rank Year Event Result
1 2019 50m Backstroke S5 36.79
1 2019 50m Freestyle S5 33.71
1 2019 100m Freestyle S5 1:11.88
1 2019 4 x 100m Medley Relay 34 Points 4:30.79
1 2019 50m Butterfly S5 36.31
1 2019 200m Freestyle S5 2:43.34
World Championships
Rank Year Event Result
1 2006 100m Freestyle S5 1:16.33
2 2006 50m Backstroke S5 37.54
2 2006 50m Butterfly S5 38.00
1 2006 200m Individual Medley SM5 3:02.88
  2006 4 x 50m Freestyle Relay 20 Points  DSQ
1 2006 4 x 50m Medley Relay 20 Points 2:36.32
6 2006 4 x 100m Medley Relay 34 Points 4:45.40
1 2010 50m Freestyle S5 32.27
1 2010 50m Butterfly S5 34.33
2 2010 4 x 100m Freestyle Relay 34 Points 3:53.79
1 2010 50m Backstroke S5 35.67
5 2010 4 x 50m Freestyle Relay 20 Points 2:42.48
1 2010 200m Individual Medley SM5 2:49.22
1 2010 200m Freestyle S5 2:26.51
1 2010 100m Breaststroke SB4 1:36.93
1 2010 4 x 50m Medley Relay 20 Points 2:37.32
1 2010 100m Freestyle S5 1:10.24
5 2010 4 x 100m Medley Relay 34 Points 4:35.86
2 2013 50m Butterfly S5 34.78
1 2013 200m Freestyle S5 2:27.83
1 2013 50m Backstroke S5 35.97
1 2013 4 x 50m Freestyle Relay 20 Points 2:22.15
1 2013 200m Individual Medley SM5 2:50.02
2 2013 4 x 100m Freestyle Relay 34 Points 3:51.64
  2013 4 x 50m Medley Relay 20 Points  DSQ
1 2013 100m Freestyle S5 1:09.72
1 2013 50m Freestyle S5 32.41
5 2013 4 x 100m Medley Relay 34 Points 4:23.61
1 2015 50m Backstroke S5 35.34
1 2015 4 x 50m Freestyle Relay 20 Points 2:29.80
1 2015 200m Freestyle S5 2:27.28
1 2015 50m Butterfly S5 35.51
1 2015 50m Freestyle S5 32.71
2 2015 4 x 100m Freestyle Relay 34 Points 3:51.44
1 2015 100m Breaststroke SB4 1:36.54
1 2015 100m Freestyle S5 1:08.85
1 2017 100m Freestyle S5 1:10.58
1 2017 4 x 100m Freestyle Relay 34 Points 4:10.30
1 2017 50m Backstroke S5 35.70
1 2017 50m Freestyle S5 32.66
1 2017 200m Freestyle S5 2:37.67
1 2017 4 x 100m Medley Relay 34 Points 4:32.23
  2017 4 x 50m Freestyle Relay 20 Points  DSQ
1 2019 50m Freestyle S5 31.83
5 2019 4 x 50m Medley Relay 20 Points 2:46.41
4 2019 4 x 50m Freestyle Relay 20 Points 2:30.46
3 2019 50m Butterfly S5 34.44
3 2019 50m Backstroke S5 36.11
2 2019 100m Freestyle S5 1:09.02
World Championships Short Course
Rank Year Event Result
1 2009 100m Breaststroke SB4 SC 1:31.49
1 2009 100m Freestyle S5 SC 1:08.17
1 2009 100m Individual Medley SM5 SC 1:18.99
1 2009 200m Freestyle S5 SC 2:29.85
1 2009 200m Individual Medley SM5 SC 2:45.94
1 2009 50m Backstroke S5 SC 35.06
1 2009 50m Butterfly S5 SC 34.02
1 2009 50m Freestyle S5 SC 32.01
2 2009 4 x 100m Freestyle Relay 34 Points SC 3:48.63
2 2009 4 x 50m Freestyle Relay 20 Points SC 2:41.98
2 2009 4 x 50m Medley Relay 20 Points SC 2:43.03
European Championships
Rank Year Event Result
4 2016 4 x 50m Medley Relay 20 Points 2:52.86
1 2016 200m Freestyle S5 2:34.77
2 2016 4 x 100m Freestyle Relay 34 Points 3:53.25
2 2016 100m Breaststroke SB4 1:38.08
1 2016 50m Backstroke S5 34.95 WR
2 2016 4 x 50m Freestyle Relay 20 Points 2:32.19