Swimmer and Paralympic champion Adriano Gomes de Lima died this Saturday (7). He had been treating bone cancer since 2024, according to the Brazilian Paralympic Committee (CPB) in a note of condolence released this Sunday (8).
Born in Natal (RN), Adriano started swimming at the age of 17 as part of a rehabilitation process. He became paraplegic after falling from a roof while working on a construction site.
Five years later, he competed in the Paralympic Games for the first time, in Atlanta, in 1996, winning the bronze medal in the 50 m freestyle. He participated in the following five editions of the competition, saying goodbye to the Games in Rio-2016.
Considered a reference in the sport, Adriano accumulated a total of nine Paralympic medals, one gold, five silver and three bronze. The highest place on the podium came in Athens 2004, when he was champion in the 4×50 m medley relay alongside Gaucho Luis Silva and fellow countrymen Francisco Avelino and Clodoaldo Silva.
He also won 30 medals over the course of five Parapan American Games and another 12 medals at World Championships.
The native of Rio Grande do Norte attended the CPB’s 30th anniversary celebrations, when he was honored for his contribution to Paralympic sport in Brazil.
He swam in the SB5 and S6 classes, in which athletes with paralysis, spinal cord injuries, amputations and dwarfism compete.
