Deizy Nhaquile: Mozambique's Olympic Trailblazer

Just three years ago she made history by becoming the first sailor to represent Mozambique at an Olympic Games. Flash forwards to Paris 2024 and, with the help of World Sailing’s Emerging Nations Program (ENP), she has made it back to the Olympics in the ILCA 6 class.

Before heading out on the water to compete, Nhaquile and 25 other ENP athletes were invited to an awards presentation to mark their Olympic qualification.

The event was particularly special for Nhaquile, who was also celebrating her 24th birthday.

As the group of sailors congregated in the morning heat of Marseille, they circled around Nhaquile to sing Happy Birthday in unison.

“It was an amazing morning,” Nhaquile said. “I was really happy to see the other athletes from the Emerging Nations Program sing for me.

“This is my second Olympic Games, so I also think that’s a good present for me.”

Nhaquile first boarded a dinghy when she was nine, but it was not love at first sight. In fact, a lingering fear of the elements almost made her step away from the sport entirely.

“At first I hated sailing because the water looked scary, so me and my mum said: ‘no’,” she admitted.

“But my dad loves sport. He said sailing would be good for me. It could change my life and give me responsibility, so I kept sailing.”

Gradually, as she followed her father’s guidance and started sailing competitively, a love for the sport began to emerge and over time success came with it.

In 2019, Nhaquile won the African Championships in Algeria, which helped her qualify for Tokyo 2020.

Under the tutelage of coach Rob Holden, she later earnt an Olympic quota spot for Mozambique at the 2023 African Qualifier for Paris 2024, coming second overall in Soma Bay.

Though, it has not always been smooth sailing. At times, finding funding has been a challenge, but the ENP has given resources to Nhaquile to help her stay in competition.

The Program offers various forms of support to sailors from emerging nations and has gone from strength to strength, with the number of Olympic athletes coming through the Program increasing from eight in Tokyo, to 26 in Paris.

“We don’t have a lot of boats in Mozambique because sailing is an expensive sport;” Nhaquile said.

“So it was an amazing thing for me to get to the Olympic Games. The Emerging Nations Program helped me a lot to get here and so did Rob. He’s a great coach.”

Breaking new ground in Olympic sailing has transformed Nhaquile into a household name in Mozambique. Children now look up to her, but getting to a Games is not the end goal.

The ultimate aim is to win a medal and follow in the footsteps of former 800m runner Maria de Lurdes Mutola, who is the only Mozambique athlete to win an Olympic medal, after taking bronze in Atlanta and gold in Sydney.

“In my country and my club, I’m a role model,” said Nhaquile. “All children say: ‘I want to be like Deizy.’ But it’s not just in the water.

“It’s a big responsibility for me. I need to be a good person and a good athlete because all these children want to be like me. So now I need to win!

“I know I have talent, but with talent you have to work. It’s not just that you have talent and then you win.”

Picking up a third Olympic medal for her nation will not be easy, but Nhaquile is ready to weather the pressure to inspire the next generation of sailors in Mozambique. Her medal hunt in the women’s dinghy will begin on 1st August.

 

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“Me and my coach know I can qualify, but I have to work hard. I will be so happy if I win. I think I have the skill to get a medal.”

After spending the day training on the water, Nhaquile returned to shore to resume her birthday celebrations.

Her focus is firmly on the upcoming days of racing, but she is also mindful of what Holden has planned for the evening.

“Maybe my coach will bring me a surprise, I’m hoping for that.”