There is no sea that Ana Marcela Cunha has not conquered

Five-time world champion, eleven world championship podiums, Pan American Games winner and Olympic champion. Ana Marcela Cunha deservedly carries the title of queen of open waters. The Brazilian swimmer sums up her journey to Olympic gold at Tokyo 2020 in one word: maturity. Learn more about Ana Marcela’s brilliant career:

From the nursery pool to the sea domain

Daughter of a swimmer father and gymnast mother, the sport has always been present since she was little in the life of Ana Marcela Jesus Soares da Cunha. Born in Salvador in 1992, she started swimming at the age of two at the daycare she attended.

At the age of 9 he was already training at the Olympic Swimming Club in Salvador and in 2007 he transferred to Unisanta in Santos. Parents’ support has always been fundamental, they even left their jobs in Salvador to accompany their daughter and take care of her career.

He debuted at the 2008 Beijing Olympics at just 16 years old, reaching fifth place. At the London 2012 Games, Ana Marcela was out of the classification. She arrived at Rio-16 with hopes of a medal, but was away from the podium in tenth place.

Glory finally arrived in 2021, as it took first place at Tokyo’s Odaiba Marine Park. The victory caused problems for Ana’s girlfriend, marketing professional Maria Clara Fontoura. The celebration was so big that neighbors called the police because of the screams and euphoria in her apartment. In an interview with TV Globo, Maria Clara reveals that: “I could only say: “Sorry, man. My girlfriend is an Olympic champion.”

achievements

Among the most important titles in her career, Ana Marcela was elected the best open water swimmer in the world in seven seasons (2010, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2021), in addition to being a member of the International Marathon Hall of Fame. of swimming.

She has the best time on the Capri-Napoli Crossing, a traditional Italian race between the two cities, which is 36 km away, with 6 hours 24 minutes 47 seconds. The events that the swimmer competes are 5 km, 10 km and 25 km.

Impact on Brazilian sport

Poliana Okimoto’s bronze at the 2016 Rio Olympics was the first medal won by a Brazilian woman in swimming. In the following edition, Ana Marcela became the champion of the waters and became the greatest Brazilian swimmer at the Olympic Games. Since 2011, she has carried the Brazilian flag on the podiums in world competitions, having heard the anthem in several editions.

Ana Marcela Cunha’s results are so impressive that she was named by the Guinness Book as the biggest winner of the FINA 10K World Circuit, with 20 victories, a record she herself beat after the book was published in 2020, increasing to 25.

10 facts about the queen of open water

Ana Marcela Cunha’s records speak for themselves, but how about finding out more about the greatest open water swimmer in Brazil and the world?

1. Greatest medalist in the history of the competition

With a resume of 34 gold, 16 silver and 17 bronze medals in International Swimming Federation (FINA) championships, she is the biggest medalist in the competition’s history. She was on the podium 12 times in the 5 km, 10 km and 25 km events, winning five titles.

2. Most times voted the best swimmer in the world

Surpassing China’s Shi Tingmao of diving and Russian Svetlana Kolesnichenko of artistic swimming, elected six times as the best athletes of aquatic modalities, Ana Marcela Cunha collects seven titles of best open water swimmer, the only one to achieve the feat.

3. Best athlete of the year elected by the COB in 2015 and 2018

The swimmer, then 23 years old, became the Brazilian woman with the most medals obtained in world championships in Olympic sports. She won a medal at each stage at the 2015 Kazan World Championship: bronze in the 10 km, silver in the mixed team in the 5 km and gold in the 25 km. She was elected alongside Isaquias Queiroz da canoeing the best athlete of 2015 and the two repeated the feat in 2018.

4. Superstition

Always before entering to compete, Ana Marcela told Olímpiad Todo Dia that she has the habit of entering with the right foot and jumping three times before starting the race.

5. Is passionate about tattoos

In her spare time, she always tries to get tattoos, she even marked her Olympic medal on her skin: the number eight on the hand that made the final stroke.

6. At the age of 12, he was already part of the Brazilian team

At the age of twelve, Ana Marcela was already a professional athlete and summoned by the Brazilian team to represent the country in competitions at sea. No wonder she competed in her first Olympics at age 16.

7. Woman, Northeastern and Lesbian

In an interview with Quem Magazine, Ana Marcela told more about her old relationship with Maria Clara Fontoura and how her ex-girlfriend’s support was fundamental to her greatest success. She revealed that she was still processing her success and the fact that she won the medal. She became an icon of the LGBTQIA + community and a great representative of Northeastern sport.

8. Advocate for gender equality in sports

In a press conference after the Olympic conquest, the swimmer defended gender equality. “A woman can be whatever she wants, wherever she wants and however she wants. it is also the result of the amount of help we have been receiving for equality”, she extolled. She read more about gender equity in sports.

9. Autoimmune disease and spleen withdrawal

After the sad tenth place in Rio-16, he discovered an autoimmune disease that reduced the production of blood platelets, cells responsible for the clotting process. She had to undergo surgery to remove her spleen to keep her platelet production at a healthy level.

10. Fish steals the show in historic photo

While Ana Marcela competed in Tokyo, photographer Jonne Roriz captured an unusual moment: the moment she turns her face to take a breath, a fish jumps over her. The photo went viral and there were people even saying that she is so angry, that even the fish had to get out of the way otherwise she would run over.

Brazil is rooting for Ana Marcela not to stop winning medals and achieve even more records and podiums. Another Brazilian athlete who also dominates the waters and you should know is the big wave surfer, Maya Gabeira.