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Brazil Daniel Dias has transitioned from a record-breaking Paralympic swimmer to an inspiring advocate for Para sport and inclusion.
Brazil's most decorated Paralympic athlete renewed his sponsorship deal with Panasonic until Tokyo 2020.
Daniel Dias became an Ottobock Paralympic Ambassador, a worldwide partnership that continued through the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games.
Daniel Dias is a Team Visa powerhouse, swimming in search of gold and bringing his world-record-setting game to Brazil.
Daniel de Faria Dias was born in Campinas, Brazil, on May 24, 1988, with malformed upper and lower limbs. His journey into Para swimming began at the age of 16, inspired by fellow Brazilian swimmer Clodoaldo Silva’s performance at the Athens 2004 Paralympic Games. Dias quickly developed his swimming skills, learning four different strokes within two months. His competitive career commenced with significant success at the 2006 IPC Swimming World Championships in Durban, South Africa, where he secured three gold medals and two silver medals. This early achievement set the stage for an extraordinary career.
Dias made his Paralympic debut at the Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games, earning nine medals, including four gold, four silver, and one bronze. His performance made him the most decorated athlete at those Games. This led to his first Laureus World Sports Award for Sportsperson of the Year with a Disability in 2009. He continued his dominance at the 2010 IPC Swimming World Championships in Eindhoven, Netherlands, winning eight gold medals and one silver. At the London 2012 Paralympic Games, Dias achieved six gold medals, all setting new world records, and received his second Laureus Award in 2013. He further demonstrated his consistent high performance at the Toronto 2015 Parapan American Games, securing eight gold medals across all events, and brought his career world title count to 24 at the 2015 IPC Swimming World Championships in Glasgow.
Throughout his career, Dias accumulated 27 Paralympic medals, including 14 gold, across four Paralympic Games (Beijing 2008, London 2012, Rio 2016, and Tokyo 2020), establishing himself as the most decorated male Para swimmer of all time and Brazil’s most decorated Paralympian. At his home Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro in 2016, he added four gold, three silver, and two bronze medals to his tally. Dias also earned a third Laureus World Sports Award in 2016. Post-retirement from competitive swimming after Tokyo 2020, he committed to remaining involved in sports, mentoring young athletes, and engaging in grassroots projects through the Laureus World Sports Academy, of which he became a member in 2021. Dias has consistently championed the transformative power of Para sport and its role in fostering inclusion and changing societal perceptions of disability.
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