Golfinho Sports and the Municipality of Coimbra honour Internationally Medalled Athletes

On the evening of 27 May, Golfinho Sports joined forces with the Municipality of Coimbra to pay tribute to high-performance athletes with international medals by placing a recognition canvas at the Olympic Municipal Swimming Pool Centre.

Camila Rebelo, Matilde Gaspar, Gabriel Lopes, Diogo Cancela and Tomás Cordeiro were the athletes honoured by the municipality as a way of appreciating their outstanding contribution to the projection of Portuguese swimming on the international scene.

In 2024, Camila Rebelo became the first Portuguese swimmer to win gold in Europe in the 200 metres backstroke. In 2023, she was the first Portuguese swimmer to stand on a world podium and secure qualification for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

Matilde Gaspar has excelled in Adapted Swimming, adding twelve national records, two European junior records and one European senior record throughout her career.

Gabriel Lopes represented Portugal at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games and has been a constant presence at the main international competitions, winning several medals.

Diogo Cancela won bronze in the 200 metres SM8 at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games and is runner-up in the world in this category.

Tomás Cordeiro was the youngest swimmer on the Portuguese team at the 2024 Paralympic Games, establishing himself as one of the promises of Portuguese swimming by winning several international records.

The placement of the canvas with the message ‘Congratulations Champions!’ also symbolises an incentive to all the athletes who train at the Olympic Municipal Swimming Pool Centre, inviting them to be inspired by the strength and determination of the sportsmen and women honoured.

In October 2023, Golfinho Sports had already teamed up with Coimbra City Council by placing a large canvas as a thank you to athlete Diogo Ribeiro for his historic achievement of winning the silver medal in the 50 metre butterfly at the Fukuoka World Championships – a milestone for Portuguese swimming.