César Cielo
Encyclopedia
César Augusto Cielo Filho (born January 10, 1987 in Santa Bárbara d'Oeste
, São Paulo
, Brazil
) is a Brazilian professional swimmer who specializes in sprint events. He is the most successful Brazilian swimmer in history, having obtained two Olympic
medals, four World Championships gold medals and breaking a world record within a one-year span.
Cielo is the current world record holder in the 100 meter
and 50 meter freestyle
. His gold medal at the 2008 Summer Olympics
, in the 50 meter freestyle competition, is Brazil's sole Olympic gold in swimming to date.
. As a young teenager, Cielo trained at the Esporte Clube Barbarense under coach Mario Francisco Sobrinho. When he was 13, Cielo started training in Piracicaba
at the Clube de Campo de Piracicaba under coach Reinaldo Rosa. At the age of 16, he transferred to Esporte Clube Pinheiros
, in São Paulo
, to train and develop with coach Alberto Silva and Brazilian swimming legend Gustavo Borges
. In 2005, he received a scholarship from Auburn University
, in the United States
, where he trains under Australian coach Brett Hawke
. Cielo competed for eight-time NCAA National Champion Auburn Tigers
' Swimming and Diving team. He was also tutored by short-distance specialist Fernando Scherer
in 2008.
Nowadays, Cielo is sponsored by Clube de Regatas do Flamengo, Arena
and Correios
. He represents Flamengo in Brazilian competitions, and also trains there, when in Brazil.
Cielo placed sixth and fourth in the 50 m and 100 m freestyle, respectively, at the 2007 Swimming World Championships
in Melbourne
. At the 2007 Pan American Games in Rio de Janeiro
, he won three gold medals in the 50 m, 100 m and 4x100 m freestyle, and a silver medal in the 4x100 m medley. Cielo went on to the 2008 Summer Olympics
, where he received the bronze medal in 100 m freestyle, tied with American swimmer Jason Lezak
, and set the Olympic record in 50 m freestyle during the semifinals (21.34). He lowered this further in the finals, winning the gold medal with the time of 21.30, and missing the world record by 0.02 second.
The 2009 World Championships
, in Rome
, had Cielo winning the 50 m and 100 m freestyle, the third swimmer to achieve this feat in a single World Championship, after Anthony Ervin
and Alexander Popov
. Popov, Ervin, and Cielo each won Olympic and World Championship gold medals in the 50 m freestyle in succession. Cielo also broke the 100 m freestyle world record in Rome.
On 18 December 2009 he broke the 50 m freestyle world record with 20.91 s at a championship hosted in Esporte Clube Pinheiros, his club in Brazil and where he trained since 2003.
In December, the World Swimming Championships Swimming Short in 2010, Cielo, along with Nicholas Santos
, Nicolas Oliveira
and Marcelo Chierighini, won bronze in the 4x100 meter freestyle race with a time of 3m05s74, South American record, leaving behind the U.S. team. In the 50 meter freestyle race, Cielo won the gold with a time of 20s51, American continent record and the championship record. In the 100 meter freestyle, Cielo also won the gold with a time of 45s74, South American record and the championship. With it, Cielo, at 23 years of age, managed to unify the world titles of two races in the pool long and short. To complete the participation, Cielo led the Brazilian 4x100 meter medley relay team to win the bronze. Along with Guilherme Guido
, Felipe França Silva
and Kaio de Almeida
, hit the South American record with a time of 3m23s12
He is also the current holder of the US Open record in the 100yd freestyle (40.92 s) and the 50yd freestyle (18.47 s). It is of note that these performances were done in textile suits, not in the later polyurethane models.
In the 2011 World Championship in Shangai, Cielo, after been cleared by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) for an accidentally use of a banned diuretic just 3 days before the competition, won the golden medal in the 50 metres butterfly with the time of 23s10. Some days later, in the same competition, Cielo won, for the second time, the golden medal in the 50m freestyle.
. Furosemide is a diuretic often used to help lose weight, but is also a masking agent which may hide the presence of other drugs. Cielo was one of four Brazilian swimmers who tested positive for the substance and was given a warning by Brazil's national swimming federation. Cielo claimed the positive drug test was a result of a cross-contamination. FINA
appealed Cielo's case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport
(CAS) and CAS kept the warning for Cielo. CAS claimed that a caffeine supplement had been contaminated to bring about the failed drugs test. CAS explained that they had become convinced that the furosemide found was not aimed to improve athletic performance or mask the use of some other substance capable of improving performance.
The CAS decision allowed Cielo to compete in the 2011 World Swimming Championships in Shanghai
, generating controversy among other competitors. Notably, Kenyan swimmer Jason Dunford
flashed a "thumbs down" to the audience after Cielo's win in the 50 meter butterfly (Dunford finished seventh in the race). Further controversy followed when Cielo made a slit-eyed gesture into the cameras after winning the 50 meter freestyle. The gesture was called "insensitive and offensive" towards the Chinese hosts.
Santa Bárbara d'Oeste
Santa Bárbara d'Oeste is a municipality in the state of São Paulo in Brazil. , it has a population of 189,573. The elevation is 570 meters....
, São Paulo
São Paulo (state)
São Paulo is a state in Brazil. It is the major industrial and economic powerhouse of the Brazilian economy. Named after Saint Paul, São Paulo has the largest population, industrial complex, and economic production in the country. It is the richest state in Brazil...
, Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
) is a Brazilian professional swimmer who specializes in sprint events. He is the most successful Brazilian swimmer in history, having obtained two Olympic
Olympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
medals, four World Championships gold medals and breaking a world record within a one-year span.
Cielo is the current world record holder in the 100 meter
World record progression 100 metres freestyle
The first world record in the men's 100 metres freestyle in long course swimming was recognised by the International Swimming Federation in 1905...
and 50 meter freestyle
World record progression 50 metres freestyle
The first world record in the men's 50 metres freestyle in long course swimming was recognised by the International Swimming Federation in 1976...
. His gold medal at the 2008 Summer Olympics
2008 Summer Olympics
The 2008 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, was a major international multi-sport event that took place in Beijing, China, from August 8 to August 24, 2008. A total of 11,028 athletes from 204 National Olympic Committees competed in 28 sports and 302 events...
, in the 50 meter freestyle competition, is Brazil's sole Olympic gold in swimming to date.
Career
Cielo began his career at small swimming clubs in his native stateSão Paulo (state)
São Paulo is a state in Brazil. It is the major industrial and economic powerhouse of the Brazilian economy. Named after Saint Paul, São Paulo has the largest population, industrial complex, and economic production in the country. It is the richest state in Brazil...
. As a young teenager, Cielo trained at the Esporte Clube Barbarense under coach Mario Francisco Sobrinho. When he was 13, Cielo started training in Piracicaba
Piracicaba
Piracicaba is a city located in the Brazilian state of São Paulo. The population in 2009 was 368,843 in an area of 1,369.511 km², at an elevation of 547 m above sea level.-Name:...
at the Clube de Campo de Piracicaba under coach Reinaldo Rosa. At the age of 16, he transferred to Esporte Clube Pinheiros
Esporte Clube Pinheiros
The Esporte Clube Pinheiros is a sports and social club located in the Brazilian metropolis São Paulo, founded in 1899 as Sport Club Germânia by German immigrants. It has around 35,000 members and its terrain comprises 170,000 m² in the well regarded quarter of Jardim Europa...
, in São Paulo
São Paulo
São Paulo is the largest city in Brazil, the largest city in the southern hemisphere and South America, and the world's seventh largest city by population. The metropolis is anchor to the São Paulo metropolitan area, ranked as the second-most populous metropolitan area in the Americas and among...
, to train and develop with coach Alberto Silva and Brazilian swimming legend Gustavo Borges
Gustavo Borges
Gustavo França Borges Gustavo França Borges Gustavo França Borges (born December 2, 1972 in Ribeirão Preto is a former international top swimmer from Brazil. He participated in four Summer Olympics for his native country, starting in 1992...
. In 2005, he received a scholarship from Auburn University
Auburn University
Auburn University is a public university located in Auburn, Alabama, United States. With more than 25,000 students and 1,200 faculty members, it is one of the largest universities in the state. Auburn was chartered on February 7, 1856, as the East Alabama Male College, a private liberal arts...
, in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, where he trains under Australian coach Brett Hawke
Brett Hawke
Brett Hawke is a retired sprint swimmer who competed for Australia at the 2000 Summer Olympics and 2004 Summer Olympics. He is now the head coach of Auburn University's swimming and diving program....
. Cielo competed for eight-time NCAA National Champion Auburn Tigers
Auburn Tigers swimming and diving
The Auburn Tigers swimming and diving program is Auburn University's representative in the sport of swimming and diving. The Tigers compete in the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division 1 and are members of the Southeastern Conference. The program started in 1932 when the pool was in the...
' Swimming and Diving team. He was also tutored by short-distance specialist Fernando Scherer
Fernando Scherer
Fernando de Queiroz Scherer is an international top swimmer from Brazil, who won the bronze medal in the 50 meters freestyle at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia...
in 2008.
Nowadays, Cielo is sponsored by Clube de Regatas do Flamengo, Arena
Arena (swimwear)
Arena is a brand of competitive swimwear created in 1973 at Adidas France, by its president Horst Dassler. Sold by Adidas in 1990, the brand now represents two unrelated product lines....
and Correios
Correios
Empresa Brasileira de Correios e Telégrafos , also known as Correios, is one of the largest state-owned companies in latin america and is responsible for the national postal service of Brazil, with a high level of reliability in Brazil...
. He represents Flamengo in Brazilian competitions, and also trains there, when in Brazil.
NCAA
He currently holds the NCAA and U.S. Open record for the 50 and 100 yard freestyle events, set at the 2008 NCAA Division 1 Swimming and Diving Championships. At Auburn, Cielo won six National Championship events, including sweeping the 2007 50 and 100 freestyle championships. Cielo gave up his fourth and final year of NCAA eligibility, becoming a professional swimmer.International competitions
2007 World Aquatics Championships
The 2007 World Aquatics Championships or the XII FINA World Championships were held in Melbourne, Australia from 17 March to 1 April 2007...
in Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
. At the 2007 Pan American Games in Rio de Janeiro
2007 Pan American Games
The 2007 Pan American Games, officially known as the XV Pan American Games, were a major continental multi-sport event that took place in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from July 13 to July 29, 2007. A total of 5,633 athletes from 42 National Olympic Committees competed in 332 events in 34 sports and in...
, he won three gold medals in the 50 m, 100 m and 4x100 m freestyle, and a silver medal in the 4x100 m medley. Cielo went on to the 2008 Summer Olympics
2008 Summer Olympics
The 2008 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, was a major international multi-sport event that took place in Beijing, China, from August 8 to August 24, 2008. A total of 11,028 athletes from 204 National Olympic Committees competed in 28 sports and 302 events...
, where he received the bronze medal in 100 m freestyle, tied with American swimmer Jason Lezak
Jason Lezak
Jason Edward Lezak is an American Olympic swimmer, winner of 4 Olympic gold medals.He formerly swam for Irvine Novaquatics. He graduated from Irvine High School in 1994, and then from the University of California, Santa Barbara in 1999. He is a member of the Rose Bowl Aquatics swim club...
, and set the Olympic record in 50 m freestyle during the semifinals (21.34). He lowered this further in the finals, winning the gold medal with the time of 21.30, and missing the world record by 0.02 second.
The 2009 World Championships
2009 World Aquatics Championships
The 2009 World Aquatics Championships or the XIII FINA World Championships were celebrated in Rome, Italy in 2009 from July 17 to August 2. The 2009 Championships featured competition in all 5 aquatics disciplines: diving, swimming, open water swimming, synchronized swimming and water polo.Rome won...
, in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
, had Cielo winning the 50 m and 100 m freestyle, the third swimmer to achieve this feat in a single World Championship, after Anthony Ervin
Anthony Ervin
Anthony Lee Ervin is a former American swimmer. He has won two Olympic medals and two World Championship golds....
and Alexander Popov
Alexander Popov (swimmer)
Aleksandr Vladimirovich Popov ; is a Russian former Olympic gold-winning swimmer, widely regarded as one of the greatest sprint freestyle swimmers of all time.-Career:Born in Lesnoy, Sverdlovsk Oblast , Popov began swimming at age 8 at...
. Popov, Ervin, and Cielo each won Olympic and World Championship gold medals in the 50 m freestyle in succession. Cielo also broke the 100 m freestyle world record in Rome.
On 18 December 2009 he broke the 50 m freestyle world record with 20.91 s at a championship hosted in Esporte Clube Pinheiros, his club in Brazil and where he trained since 2003.
In December, the World Swimming Championships Swimming Short in 2010, Cielo, along with Nicholas Santos
Nicholas Santos
Nicholas Araújo Dias dos Santos is a Brazilian freestyle swimmer who specializes in sprint events. Nicholas swims for Esporte Clube Pinheiros. He swam the 50 m freestyle at the 2008 Summer Olympics.-References:...
, Nicolas Oliveira
Nicolas Oliveira
Nicolas Nilo César de Oliveira is a Brazilian freestyle swimmer. He specializes in sprint events.-See also:*Swimming at the 2009 World Aquatics Championships...
and Marcelo Chierighini, won bronze in the 4x100 meter freestyle race with a time of 3m05s74, South American record, leaving behind the U.S. team. In the 50 meter freestyle race, Cielo won the gold with a time of 20s51, American continent record and the championship record. In the 100 meter freestyle, Cielo also won the gold with a time of 45s74, South American record and the championship. With it, Cielo, at 23 years of age, managed to unify the world titles of two races in the pool long and short. To complete the participation, Cielo led the Brazilian 4x100 meter medley relay team to win the bronze. Along with Guilherme Guido
Guilherme Guido
Guilherme Guido is a Brazilian backstroke swimmer who specializes in sprint events.-See also:*Swimming at the 2009 World Aquatics Championships*List of South American records in swimming...
, Felipe França Silva
Felipe França Silva
Felipe Alves França da Silva is a breaststroke swimmer from Brazil, who competed for his country at the 2008 Olympics....
and Kaio de Almeida
Kaio de Almeida
Kaio Márcio Ferreira Costa de Almeida is a Brazilian swimmer, who specializes in butterfly. He is also known as: Kaio Márcio, Kaio Márcio de Almeida, Kaio Almeida, or Kaio de Almeida....
, hit the South American record with a time of 3m23s12
He is also the current holder of the US Open record in the 100yd freestyle (40.92 s) and the 50yd freestyle (18.47 s). It is of note that these performances were done in textile suits, not in the later polyurethane models.
In the 2011 World Championship in Shangai, Cielo, after been cleared by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) for an accidentally use of a banned diuretic just 3 days before the competition, won the golden medal in the 50 metres butterfly with the time of 23s10. Some days later, in the same competition, Cielo won, for the second time, the golden medal in the 50m freestyle.
Positive drug test
In May of 2011, Cielo tested positive for the banned substance furosemideFurosemide
Furosemide or frusemide is a loop diuretic used in the treatment of congestive heart failure and edema. It is most commonly marketed by Sanofi-Aventis under the brand name Lasix...
. Furosemide is a diuretic often used to help lose weight, but is also a masking agent which may hide the presence of other drugs. Cielo was one of four Brazilian swimmers who tested positive for the substance and was given a warning by Brazil's national swimming federation. Cielo claimed the positive drug test was a result of a cross-contamination. FINA
Fina
Fina may refer to:*Fina, a character in the Skies of Arcadia video game*FINA, the International Swimming Federation*FINA, the North American Forum on Integration...
appealed Cielo's case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport
Court of Arbitration for Sport
The Court of Arbitration for Sport is an international arbitration body set up to settle disputes related to sport. Its headquarters are in Lausanne and its courts are located in New York, Sydney and Lausanne, Switzerland...
(CAS) and CAS kept the warning for Cielo. CAS claimed that a caffeine supplement had been contaminated to bring about the failed drugs test. CAS explained that they had become convinced that the furosemide found was not aimed to improve athletic performance or mask the use of some other substance capable of improving performance.
The CAS decision allowed Cielo to compete in the 2011 World Swimming Championships in Shanghai
Shanghai
Shanghai is the largest city by population in China and the largest city proper in the world. It is one of the four province-level municipalities in the People's Republic of China, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010...
, generating controversy among other competitors. Notably, Kenyan swimmer Jason Dunford
Jason Dunford
Jason Edward Dunford is a swimmer from Kenya. He is predominantly a butterfly and freestyle sprinter. He has won gold medals at the Commonwealth Games, Universiade, All-Africa Games and African Championships, and reached finals at Olympics, World Championships and Short Course World Championships....
flashed a "thumbs down" to the audience after Cielo's win in the 50 meter butterfly (Dunford finished seventh in the race). Further controversy followed when Cielo made a slit-eyed gesture into the cameras after winning the 50 meter freestyle. The gesture was called "insensitive and offensive" towards the Chinese hosts.
Olympic Games
- Beijing OlympicsSwimming at the 2008 Summer OlympicsSwimming at the 2008 Summer Olympics was held over a thirteen day period from August 9 to August 21, with the conventional events ending on August 17 and the new marathon 10 km events being held on August 20 and 21...
(ChinaChinaChinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
) :
Men's 50 m freestyle gold medal (OR).
Men's 100 m freestyle bronze medal.
FINA World Championships
- FINA World Championships 20092009 World Aquatics ChampionshipsThe 2009 World Aquatics Championships or the XIII FINA World Championships were celebrated in Rome, Italy in 2009 from July 17 to August 2. The 2009 Championships featured competition in all 5 aquatics disciplines: diving, swimming, open water swimming, synchronized swimming and water polo.Rome won...
in RomeRomeRome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
(ItalyItalyItaly , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
) :- Men's 100 m freestyle gold medal (WR).
- Men's 50 m freestyle gold medal (CR).
- (4th) Men's 4x100 m freestyle relay.
- (4th) Men's 4x100 m medley relay.
- FINA Short Course World Championships 2010 in DubaiDubaiDubai is a city and emirate in the United Arab Emirates . The emirate is located south of the Persian Gulf on the Arabian Peninsula and has the largest population with the second-largest land territory by area of all the emirates, after Abu Dhabi...
(UAE):- Men's 100 m freestyle gold medal (CR).
- Men's 50 m freestyle gold medal (CR).
- Men's 4x100 m freestyle relay.
- Men's 4x100 m medley relay.
- FINA World Championships 20112011 World Aquatics ChampionshipsThe 14th FINA World Championships were held at July 16–31, 2011 in Shanghai, China at the Shanghai Oriental Sports Center. The 2011 World Championships featured five aquatics disciplines: swimming, water polo, diving, open water, and synchronised swimming...
in ShanghaiShanghaiShanghai is the largest city by population in China and the largest city proper in the world. It is one of the four province-level municipalities in the People's Republic of China, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010...
(ChinaChinaChinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
) :- Men's 50 m butterfly gold medal.
- Men's 50 m freestyle gold medal.
- (4th) Men's 100 m freestyle.
See also
- Swimming at the 2008 Summer OlympicsSwimming at the 2008 Summer OlympicsSwimming at the 2008 Summer Olympics was held over a thirteen day period from August 9 to August 21, with the conventional events ending on August 17 and the new marathon 10 km events being held on August 20 and 21...
- List of world records in swimming
- List of Americas records in swimming
- List of South American records in swimming
- List of Brazilian records in swimming
- World record progression 50 metres freestyleWorld record progression 50 metres freestyleThe first world record in the men's 50 metres freestyle in long course swimming was recognised by the International Swimming Federation in 1976...
- World record progression 100 metres freestyleWorld record progression 100 metres freestyleThe first world record in the men's 100 metres freestyle in long course swimming was recognised by the International Swimming Federation in 1905...