Laura Amaro, the Brazilian woman who knows how to set records in weightlifting

Rio de Janeiro, July 25 (EFE).- Brazilian weightlifter Laura Amaro, who at 23 years of age will participate for the first time in the Olympic Games representing the country in the 81 kilos, has managed to set the standard for the sport in the South American giant.

STATEMENTS OF THE OLYMPIC ATHLETE, LAURA AMARO (IN PORTUGUESE):

- “MAN, I TELL EVERYONE THAT I STARTED TO BE AN ATHLETE IN MY STREET, I'M FROM THE NORTH ZONE OF RIO DE JANEIRO, AND THERE WERE ALWAYS A LOT OF KIDS PLAYING THERE, YOU KNOW? A LOT OF KIDS PLAYING EVERYTHING. I THINK MY MOTOR REPERTOIRE, FOR PHYSICAL ACTIVITIES, IS THAT I ALWAYS HAD IT VERY EASY AND IT STARTED THERE IN MY STREET, THERE IN THE NORTH ZONE OF RIO, AT THAT TIME WHEN EVERYTHING WAS A GAME”.

- “AND THEN, AT 13, I RECEIVED THIS INVITATION TO LIFT WEIGHTS, THROUGH A PERSON WHO WAS ALSO DOING THE LPO AND HAD GONE THROUGH THE SAME PROCESSES AS ME. SHE HAD ALSO BEEN IN SOCCER, SO SHE INVITED ME. IN 2003, I CAME HERE TO THE BRAZILIAN NAVY AND DID A WEIGHTLIFTING TEST WITH MY COACH, WHO IS MY COACH UNTIL TODAY. WE'VE BEEN ON THIS PATH FOR 11 YEARS, CARLOS AVEIRO. AND THEN, THAT DAY, HE TOLD ME, LOOK, YOU'RE GOING TO BE A CHAMPION”.

- “ON THE FIRST DAY I DIDN'T LIKE IT, I HATED WEIGHTLIFTING, I DIDN'T LIKE IT AT ALL, I HATED IT. I LOOKED AT MY PARENTS AND TOLD THEM..., WE'RE NOT COMING BACK HERE ANYMORE, NO. I HATED THIS BORING BUSINESS. I CAME IN SOCCER SHOES I CAME TO TRAIN IN SOCCER SHOES!!!! BUT IT WAS AT THE FIRST COMPETITION I SPOKE, MAN, I FELT THIS IS REALLY COOL!”.

- “ I DIDN'T LIKE WEARING SLEEVELESS TOPS, I DIDN'T EVEN LIKE THE IDEA OF BUILDING MUSCLE”.

Camera: Janaina Quinet.