A new beginning in the sport: "I learned that I could do things that I thought impossible"

The sport serves as a start for many people and an excellent example of this is the history of Piauí athlete Luis Carlos Cardoso, 35 years old. In 2009, he began to feel severe pain in his body and when he was hospitalized it was discovered that a parasite had lodged in his marrow (medullary schistosomiasis). The case, which was irreversible, eventually left Luis Carlos paraplegic.

At age nine, he began to dance as a form of entertainment, but the game became a professional dream. Because of a financial problem, Luis had to drop out of school at the age of 14 and dedicated himself to giving classes in gyms and gymnasiums.

He worked that way until he was 16, when he began acting as a dancer in a forró band. During his career, Luis went through several bands and was part of the group of singer Frank Aguiar.

"The dance was everything for me"

After the paralysis, Luis found himself trapped in a monotonous routine that included staying at home and going to physical therapy clinics. "It was hard to know that I could never do anything I loved, I never imagined that a fatality could happen and my career would end," reveals Luis.

During an internet search, he discovered basketball for the physically disabled and even trained for a time. However, it was through physiotherapy that he became aware of parachuting, which he began to practice without great pretensions, thinking only of his rehabilitation.

However, little by little, Luis began to participate in some championships, until, in 2012, he entered for the Brazilian team.

Freedom

People with physical disabilities encounter a number of obstacles on a daily basis, such as the lack of accessibility on the streets, of encouragement to the sport and of inclusion in schools, that end up discouraging people to reach their goals.

Luis Carlos believes that people in special conditions can not but believe. "I found myself stuck in a wheelchair, but the sport brought me this freedom, I learned that I could do things that I thought impossible," said Luis.

Achievements

In 2011, Luis won his first silver medal , during a Brazilian competition, besides qualifying for the Pan American Championship. Since then the achievements around the world have not stopped happening. Altogether, Luis Carlos has 21 medals, being 11 gold. However, his best and biggest victory so far was to be voted the best Paralympic athlete in Brazil in 2015.

Some of the medals already won by Luis Carlos - photo: divulgação / facebook

The paratleta was at the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games, the first year that parachuting became an official sport. "It was an incredible experience, an indescribable emotion," he says.

Unfortunately, the athlete did not win any medals during the competition, but he is still far from giving up that dream. "I want to win a Paralympic medal and I hope that it can come in 2020", says Luis Carlos.

# I Can: a cause of inclusion in sports and the right to a healthier life

For many Brazilians, physics is still a right to be won, and so My Life is engaged in the cause # I Can, which brings to the fore the discussion about the right of everyone to adopt a healthier life. We want to know if you ever had any difficulty exercising!

Luis Carlos during the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games - photo: publicity / facebook

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