29.04.2022

Paralympic athlete promotes reflection on diversity

By Felipe Lima

“Smile at life”. That’s the favorite phrase of Daniel Dias, a paralympic swimmer who came to Beacon and talked to 5th and 7th graders (Y5 and Y7). Invited by Clarissa Miras, a parent of students at the school, the record holder spoke about important topics, such as diversity – one of the pillars of Beacon – and resilience. 

Daniel Dias, who was born with malformations in his upper and lower limbs, talked in detail about his childhood and how he dealt with bullying. Despite the sorrow and suffering, he recalls that he did not give up and overcame challenges that seemed insurmountable. The athlete has always had an interest in arts and a passion for soccer, but it was in swimming that he found himself. 

The competitions – especially the world ones – aroused the interest of the students, who took the opportunity to ask questions and learn more about the athlete. Daniel also told us that he has participated in a total of four Paralympics (China, United Kingdom, Brazil, and Japan), the last one being in Tokyo, in 2020. In addition, the students had the opportunity to hold and even see the weight of one of the medals won by the swimmer. 

By training 15 kilometers every day, the athlete became the greatest Brazilian Paralympic medalist. For this reason, he advises: persevere!