Swimmers José Vieira and Filipe Santos, from the Adapted Swimming team at FC Ferreiras, won two medals at the DSISO World Championships – 9th Down Syndrome World Swimming Championships 2018, which took place in the city of Truro, Canada, from 21 to 26 July .
José Vieira, aged 35, was world vice-champion in the 50m Bruços (silver medal) and won bronze in the 4X50 Estilos. Filipe Santos participated in the 4X50Estilos and 4X100Estilos Relays, both with 3rd place and bronze medal.
In this championship, the Portuguese Down Syndrome Team saw eight of its athletes win three silver and four bronze medals, and 13 national records were beaten.
The two athletes from the Albufeirense team were received last week by the mayor of Albufeira, who offered them souvenirs from the Municipality. José Vieira and Filipe Santos were accompanied by António Colaço, president of FC Ferreiras, and by Sónia Demétrio, vice-president.
Mayor José Carlos Rolo expressed his satisfaction at seeing the effort and technical quality of these athletes recognized. “Albufeira supports the sport as best it can and that gives us great satisfaction, especially when we see the dedication and strength of these athletes to win”, said the mayor.
José Vieira has been working since he was 16 at the Jumbo bakery in Faro. After a day of work, from 8:00 am to 17:00 pm, he travels daily to the Municipal Swimming Pools in Albufeira, to train from 19:00 pm to 20:30 pm.
The Swimming section of Futebol Clube de Ferreiras embraced the Adapted Swimming Project in 2015, which has had, until now, as coach, Paulo Sousa, responsible for the successes of José Vieira and Filipe Santos.
In addition to its competition team, the club established protocols with the Municipality of Albufeira and the municipality's School Groups for the creation of a Swimming discipline for students with special educational needs, with the aim of providing the opportunity to adapt to the aquatic environment of these students.
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