Brazilian para-swimming legend Daniel Dias has announced that he will be retiring from the sport following the 2020 Paralympic Games this summer. Dias is among the most successful swimmers in history, having won a total of 24 medals across his first 3 Paralympics.
At his Paralympic debut in 2008, Dias won more medals than any other athlete. He picked up four golds, four silvers, and one bronze for a total of nine. Eight years later he won another six medals, all gold and all in world record time. At his most recent Paralympics, he added another 9, this time four gold, three silver, and two bronze.
Dias has been honored numerous times for his accomplishments including being named the Laureus World Sports Award winner for Sportsperson of the Year with a Disability three times in 2009, 2013, and 2016.
Dias has held world records in several different events throughout his career and currently holds 4 long course
Daniel Dias‘ World Records
- 1o0 Backstroke long course S5 (1:16.24)
- 100 Breaststroke long course SB4 (1:32.27)
- 200 Breaststroke long course SB4 (3:21.36)
- 100 Butterfly long course S5 (1:17.79)
- 200 Freestyle short course S5 (2:29.85)
- 50 Backstroke short course S5 (35.06)
- 100 Backstroke short course S5 (1:14.10)
- 50 Breaststroke short course SB4 (44.18)
- 100 Breaststroke short course SB4 (1:31.49)
- 50 butterfly short course S5 (34.02)
- 100 IM short course SM5 (1:18.99)
- 200 IM short course SM5 (2:45.94)
Following his 2016 Paralympic performance, he was famously compared to Michael Phelps to which he responded “I am very happy to be compared to such an amazing athlete, but I am Daniel Dias and I want to do the best for Paralympic sports.”
Dias will race at his fourth and final Games this summer with a chance to crack the 30-medal mark.
Dias announced the news via his Instagram account:
He swims so fast for having not much limbs I don’t know how he does it