Paralympic multimedallist Grabriel Araújo, aged 22, was one of the four winners of the 2024 Champions of Champions Award, granted by the French newspaper L’Équipe, which also included the North American gymnast Simone Biles, the French swimmer León Marchand and the swimmer Chinese paralympian Yuyan Jiang. This was the first time in history that the award, created in 1946, also evaluated the performance of Paralympic athletes. Three-time champion at the Paris Games in the S2 class backstroke (200 meters, 50m and 100m), Gabriezinho was elected the best Paralympic athlete of the year. Among the para-athletes, the trophy went to China’s Jiang.
Pour la première fois de l’histoire, les journalists du groupe L’Equipe ont élu un Champion des champions monde en para-sport. Chez les hommes, le para-nageur brésilien Gabriel Dos Santos Araujo est sacré. La para-nageuse chinoise, Yuyan Jiang, 20 years old, remains there… pic.twitter.com/LXxyDzs4xT
— L’ÉQUIPE (@lequipe) December 27, 2024
Born in Santa Luzia, a city in the metropolitan region of Belo Horizonte, Gabrielzinho was the flag bearer of the Brazilian delegation in Paris and was the first to win gold for the country’s Paralympic swimming: he won the 100m backstroke race in class S2 from start to finish. (athletes with great physical and motor impairment), and then won two other gold medals (50m and 200m backstroke). Irreverent, the swimmer who had already stood out at the Tokyo Games (two golds and one silver), won over the French who filled the Arena La Defense by celebrating his achievements by dancing and playing on top of the podium.
In the competition for the best Paralympic athlete of the year category from the newspaper L’Équipe, Gabrielzinho overcame opponents such as the biggest medalist of Paris 2024, the Belarusian swimmer Ihar Boki (five golds) and the French paracyclist Alexandre Léauté (two golds in Paris, in the pursuit and time trial on the road). In a report in the newspaper L’Equipe, the Brazilian is recognized as a “water phenomenon”. In a long interview with the French newspaper, Gabrielzinho said: “for me, it was as if I had won football’s Ballon d’Or”.
Gabrielzinho is Champion of Champions of @lequipe 😱❤️🇧🇷
Elected Champion of Champions of the year 2024, he wins this award with Simone Biles, Léon Marchand and Jiang Yuyan.
The L’équipe award has existed since 1946 and in the interview with the newspaper published this Friday the… pic.twitter.com/mXCb2CXyC5
— Brazilian Paralympic Committee (@BraParalimpico) December 27, 2024
Gabrielzinho’s success in Paris 2024 earned him a special tribute at the end of the Paralympics. Speaking during the ceremony, Tony Estanguet, president of the Organizing Committee, highlighted that Gabrielzinho was part of the magnificent moments that took place at the Games.
In Brazil, Gabrielzinho was also recognized as the best alteta of the year, alongside Pernambuco swimmer Carol Santiago, at the Paralympic Awards, granted by the Brazilian Paralympic Committee (CPB).
Gabrielzinho was born with phocomelia, a congenital disease that prevents the normal formation of arms and legs. His first contact with swimming occurred at the school he studied at, in Juiz de Fora. A physical education teacher recognized Gabriel’s talent, who debuted in competitions at the Minas Gerais School Games (JEMG).
