Brazil’s Daniel Dias set the pool on fire in the 2008 Paralympic Games at the age of 20, becoming the leading medal winner in Beijing with four gold, four silver and one bronze. He began swimming only when he was 16, and learned all four swimming styles in just two months.
A prolific winner, he also took eight gold medals out of the eight events in which he participated at the 2007 Parapan American Games in classes S5, SM5 and SB4. He has now become one of the biggest sports stars in Brazil, appearing in nationwide TV programmes encouraging Paralympic sport.
