Beth Gomes’ eyes shine when she talks about the medals she won last Monday (2), at the Paris Paralympics. In addition to the gold in the discus throw in the F53 class, repeating the result of the Tokyo Games, in Japan, in 2021, she won silver in the shot put in the F54 class, where she competed with athletes with less severe disabilities – although also wheelchair users. It doesn’t even seem like the 59-year-old from São Paulo has accumulated international titles and successive world record breaks.
“The dream of any athlete is to reach the Olympics. The moment they took that dream away from me in the sport I loved so much and continue to love, volleyball, I thought it was over. But no. And when I saw that I had achieved it [medalhas paralímpicas] not only in one race, but in two, that, for me, brings that sparkle to my eyes. It’s the sparkle of an accomplishment”, says Beth emotionally. She gave an interview to the Empresa Brasil de Comunicação (EBC) at Casa Brasil Paralímpico, in Saint-Ouen, a city near Paris.
Beth was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 1993. She first came into contact with parasports through wheelchair basketball in Santos (SP), the city where she was born. In 2008, she was called up for the Beijing Paralympics in China. As the disease progressed, she finally found her way into athletics. Even with a degenerative disability, the São Paulo native managed to adapt, to the point of arriving in France ready to compete in two events on the same day – and to reach the podium in both.
At the next Paralympics, in 2028, Beth Gomes will be 63 years old and wants to win more medals. “If God allows me and I am in a good condition, I want to be there” Photo: Ana Patricia Almeida/CPB
“Multiple sclerosis requires rest because of fatigue. If I get tired, I lose performance. But we managed it,” said the two-time Paralympic champion. She said that her coach, Rose Farias, studied sclerosis with Beth’s sister, who is a neurologist and specialist in the disease.
“Then, [a treinadora] It’s not more than I can do. It was all set up to happen like in Kobe [no Japão, pelo Mundial de 2024]in which I also competed in both events on the same day. I managed to reconcile, rest and bring home the medals [ouro no disco e prata no peso]”, he explained.
“It is very gratifying, because we know that our body sometimes does not obey. I say that sclerosis is my friend, we walk side by side, but that I will always be overcoming it and respecting it when it needs to be respected,” he added.
2028 Games
At the Los Angeles Games in the United States in 2028, Beth will be 63 years old. If it depends on her, she will be able to win her third title.
“If God allows me and I am in a position to do so, I want to be there. Our president [do Comitê Paralímpico Brasileiro] Mizael [Conrado] He says I’ll compete until I’m 90. And I reply: ‘May God hear you, I’ll be there!’ [risos]. Jokes aside, as long as I am healthy and willing to train, this Beth, this phoenix, as I am called, will continue. This air gives me the strength to believe that I will be here tomorrow”, she concluded.
