Para Sailor Spotlight - Q&A with Herivelton Ferreira Anastacio

For Herivelton, his journey to the Paralympics was super-charged. He started sailing in 2014 as part of his rehabilitation following a motorbike accident, and his talent was quickly recognised by the Brazilian sailing federation – so much so that two years later he was lining up on the waters of Marina da Glória, Copacabana, at the Paralympic Games.

With World Sailing’s bid to see sailing reinstated for the Los Angeles 2028 Games gaining huge momentum, Herivelton is hopeful that he will have the opportunity to once again represent his country in the sport he loves and that he says gave him the will to live again.

How did you start sailing and why?

I got to know the sport of sailing in a rehabilitation programme at Sarah Kubitschek Hospital. In April 2009, I had a motorcycle accident where I had a spinal cord injury that pulled out the nerve roots in my left arm, making it paralysed. Under medical supervision at the same hospital in August 2014, I discovered a programme that would help people into Paralympic sport, and to my surprise the first sport I learned about was sailing – it was love at first sight. Since then, I never stopped – sailing brought me the will to live again!

Who has been your biggest supporter?

My family and my close friends. They are my biggest fans – whenever I’m in a competition I try to do my best to make them proud.

What did it mean for you to compete in the Paralympic Games in Rio?

Everything happened very fast. I sailed for the first time on 8 August 2014, and in December 2015 I was champion of the Brazilian South-Central region.

In May 2016, I was at the Delta Lloyd World Championship in Medemblik and when I returned from the Worlds, I was asked to be part of the team that would compete in the Rio 2016 Games.

For an athlete the experience of competing in the Paralympic Games is something inexplicable. It seemed that we were in a different universe, the energy of being there is incredible, a place where the best in the world come together, sharing the life stories of each athlete. Every minute spent during the Games was by far the best of my life!

How did you feel when sailing was withdrawn from the Paralympics?

Extremely sad because it didn’t seem fair to take away a sport in which so many people with different disabilities compete without limitation. I actually still don’t understand why sailing was removed from the Games.

But a great man, who did and does a lot for our Paralympic sailors, Massimo Dighe (former World Sailing Para Sailing Manager), worked even harder to help the sport grow more and more. I have great admiration for him and I am very grateful for everything he has done for our sport.

When you look back, what do you consider your greatest achievements so far?

Every championship I participate in I consider it an achievement, because even without any sponsor and with little training, I try my best to do my best. Even not being on the podium I get the feeling of accomplishment because I know I gave my best.

An achievement that I am very proud of was having fought in my country to offer the chance for other athletes to be able to train and be able to compete, with the aim of always bringing new athletes to the sport.

Because of this effort I was elected by athletes in an open vote to be the National Coordinator of Paralympic Sailing in Brazil, and I currently represent the class within the Brazilian Sailing Confederation – CBVela.

What do you consider your greatest strength?

My sense of justice – it is from this that I draw strength to fight every day.

Making the world somewhere more equal and inclusive, being able to look back and know that, somehow, I contributed to the good. This reflects my dear father and my amazing mother – the best I could have!

What is your biggest weakness?

The big frustrations after fighting hard for something and not getting it.

And like many Para athletes, I am still living with psychological scars – these can often make me weak.

What would it mean to you if sailing were re-established as a Paralympic sport?

A hope to once again feel the sensation of living the spectacle of the Paralympic Games. It is something magical, and I’m sure it will be a historic day for this sport that I love so much.

Would you campaign again for the Paralympic Games?

For sure, I’ll always be campaigning to be there, and whenever I am able, I’ll be present in world competitions.

I have dedicated a lot to training and I know that one day we will be there again, experiencing the feeling of representing our country and bringing pride to millions of people who cheer for us!