The Olympic Games 2024 in Paris are over and it’s time to have a closer look to the Portuguese medallists and the big surprises at these Olympics. With a total number of 4 medals (1x gold, 2x silver & 1 bronze), Portugal ranked on the 50th place of the medals table. Compared to the performance at the Olympic Games 2021 in Tokyo (1x gold, 1x silver & 2x bronze), Portugal slightly improved its position in the medals table. But which Portuguese athletes performed well and what were some of the most emotional moments at the Olympics in Paris?
Iúri Leitão and Rui Oliveira
Born in Viana do Castelo, cyclist Iúri Leitão was one of the biggest surprises at the Olympic Games 2024. With his silver medal in the omnium track cycling , he surprised everyone and won Portugal’s first medal on the track. On top, it was the second medal in the history of Portuguese cycling at the Olympics.
Two days later, he even put one step further, when he and his team mate Rui Oliveira from Vila Nova de Gaia won the gold medal and Portugal’s first Olympic track cycling triumph. Besides that, it was the only gold medal during these Olympic Games, so that even Cristiano Ronaldo congratulated the well-deserved winners via Instagram.
Pedro Pichardo
Originally from Cuba, Pedro Pichardo escaped from his country and acquired the Portuguese nationality in 2017. Since then, he repeatedly demonstrated his skills in the triple jump. At the Olympics 2021, he even won the gold medal for Portugal in the triple jump with a great performance of 17,98 cm.
During the Olympic Games 2024 in Paris, Pichardo won the silver medal with only 2 cm behind Diaz Fortun from Spain. Even if it wasn’t enough for his next gold medal, Pichardo showed a great performance and contributed significantly to Portugal’s success at the Olympics.
Patrícia Sampaio
Patrícia Sampaio is a Portuguese judoka and won the first medal at the Olympic Games 2024 for Portugal. Sampaio was born in Tomar, studied at the NOVA University Lisbon and worked hard for her dream. The very likable 25-year-old Sampaio never gave up and expressed her gratitude for being able to compete as a professional judoka and do what she loves in a recent interview.
In Paris, Sampaio surpisingly won the bronze medal in the -78kg category. With great joy, we received the news about her win and want to express our great respect for this achievement.
Salomé Afonso
Besides the Portuguese medal winners, we also have the great performance of athlete Salomé Afonso from Lisbon. The 26-years-old was eliminated in the semi-finals of the 1500m run at the Olympic Games in Paris. However, she exceeded all expectations by improving her personal record from 4.06,04 min. (before Paris) to 3.59,96 min.
This great performance deserves to be mentioned and we’re already excited for what is yet to come from her in the upcoming years. With her still young age and great ambitions, we’re proud that Salomé represented Portugal at these Olympics in Paris.
Cátia Azevedo and Tsanko Arnaudov
What would be these Olympic Games without the love story of athlete Cátia Azevedo and her fiancé Tsanko Arnaudov. Both of them represented Portugal in Paris. While Cátia ran her season best in the 400m race and was eliminated in the semi-finals, Tsanko finished 8th in the qualification and was only a few centimeters away from qualifiying to the next round in the shot put.
Nevertheless, one of their biggest success was celebrated after their performances, when Tsanko proposed to Cátia in Paris. She said yes and we wish the couple lots of love and all the best for the future. What a beautiful moment during these Olympic Games!
Ana Cabecinha
Our last spotlight from Portugal at the Olympics is probably the one we are the most proud of. Ana Cabecinha finished last in the 20 km race walk in Paris, but has won our greatest admiration. The 40 year old athlete from Beja in the Alentejo was visibly moved since she was competing in her fifth and final Olympic race. On top of that, she gave birth to her son Lourenço just 3 months before the Olympic Games. During the race she was fighting against extreme fatigue, but managed to finish the race. At the end of the race, Ana Cabecinha tearfully hugged her compatriot Vitória Oliveira who competed at her first Olympic race.
Photo from Instagram @francisco_paraiso
Before the race, Ana Cabecinha said in an interview: “This Olympics is different. I have become a mother, and I want to end my career on a good note with my son near me. Seeing him at the finish line will be the greatest reward, and the final result is the least of my worries. I just want to finish the race.”. For us, this was the most impressive stories at the Olympic Games 2024 in Paris and we wish Ana Cabecinha all the best for her well-deserved rest after all these years. Muito obrigado Ana for always giving your best!
Francisco Paraiso: The man behind the emotional photos
These words are dedicated to photographer Francisco Paraiso who well captured some of the amazing Portuguese moments during these Olympics. Don’t forget to check out his Instagram for more photos.
Condolences for José Manuel Constantino
Finally, we would like to express our deep condolences for the passing of José Manuel Constantino, President of the Portuguese Olympic Committee. Our thoughts are with his family and friends.
