Leonardo Costa

Leonardo Costa
Personal information
Full name Leonardo Jorge Costa
Nationality  Brazil
Born May 12, 1977
Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
Height 1.96 m (6 ft 5 in)
Weight 94 kg (207 lb)
Sport
Sport Swimming
Strokes Backstroke, Freestyle
Club Trojan Swim Club, Los Angeles

Leonardo Jorge Costa (born May 12, 1977 in Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais) is a former freestyle and backstroke swimmer from Brazil, who represented his native country at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia.[1] His biggest success was winning the gold medal in the 200-metre backstroke at the 1999 Pan American Games in Winnipeg, Canada.

He was at the 1997 FINA World Swimming Championships (25 m), where he finished 21st in the 200-metre backstroke, and 24th in the 100-metre backstroke.

Leonardo went to the 1999 FINA World Swimming Championships (25 m), in Hong Kong, where he reached the 200-metre backstroke final, finishing in 6th.[2]

At the 1999 Pan American Games in Winnipeg, he earned the gold medal in the 200-metre backstroke, silver in the 4×200-metre freestyle, and bronze in the 200-metre freestyle. [3] The time of the 200-metre backstroke was 1:59.33, South American record, Pan American record, and index for him to participate in the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney. [4] [5] The silver in the 4×200-metre freestyle was obtained with a time of 7:22.92, South American record, along with Gustavo Borges, Rodrigo Castro and André Cordeiro. [6] [7] [8] He also finished 9th in the 100-metre backstroke.[9]

A historic feat achieved by Leonardo, in Winnipeg, was defeat Aaron Peirsol in the 200-metre backstroke final, that after this competition, won several Olympic medals and broke world records in the 100-metre backstroke, 200-metre backstroke and 4×100-metre medley. [10]

At the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Leonardo ranked 13th in the 4×200-metre freestyle, and 14th in the 200-metre backstroke. [11]

In 2000, Costa broke the short-course South American record in the 200-metre backstroke, with a time of 1:54.79. This record was only beaten in 2005. [12]

After the 2000 Sydney Games, decided to study and train in the U.S., but never more maintained a regularity result. He got to spend a year and a half without swimming. In 2004, rehearsed a return, whence achieving good results. The athlete was hired by Esporte Clube Pinheiros and had the best time just when he was caught in doping. He quit professional swimming after testing positive in a dope test conducted in November 2004, during the stage of Durban (South Africa) World Cup. In Durban, won two bronze medals in the 100-metre and 200-metre backstroke. [13]


References

  1. ↑ "Sports Reference Profile". Sports Reference. 2013. Retrieved April 13, 2013.
  2. ↑ "Results at 1999 Hong Kong" (PDF). USA Swimming. 2013. Retrieved April 13, 2013.
  3. ↑ "Brazil medals at 1999 Pan". UOL (in Portuguese). 2007. Retrieved April 13, 2013.
  4. ↑ "Brazilian revelation expecting record". Folha de São Paulo (in Portuguese). August 5, 1999. Retrieved April 13, 2013.
  5. ↑ "Romero's Gold". CBDA (in Portuguese). August 13, 2003. Retrieved April 13, 2013.
  6. ↑ "History of Gustavo Borges". Gustavo Borges-Official Site (in Portuguese). 2012. Retrieved April 13, 2013.
  7. ↑ "the Olympics of David". CBDA (in Portuguese). August 17, 2004. Retrieved April 13, 2013.
  8. ↑ "With 15 medals, seven gold, 1999 Winnipeg Pan was a mark in swimming". R7 (in Portuguese). May 29, 2011. Retrieved April 13, 2013.
  9. ↑ 1999 Full results by Swimnews
  10. ↑ "With 15 medals, seven gold, 1999 Winnipeg Pan was a mark in swimming". R7 (in Portuguese). May 29, 2011. Retrieved April 13, 2013.
  11. ↑ "Sports Reference Profile". Sports Reference. 2013. Retrieved April 13, 2013.
  12. ↑ "Lucas Salatta makes index and breaks records". Globoesporte (in Portuguese). September 9, 2005. Retrieved April 13, 2013.
  13. ↑ "Leonardo Costa abandons swimming after doping". Terra (in Portuguese). January 18, 2005. Retrieved April 13, 2013.