Lucimara da Silva
Encyclopedia
Lucimara Silvestre da Silva (born 10 July 1985 in Lucélia
, São Paulo
) is a Brazil
ian track and field
athlete who competes in the heptathlon
. She represented her country at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and competed at the World Championships in Athletics in 2007. Her personal best of 6076 points is the South American record for the event.
Following her first national title in 2005, da Silva emerged in 2007; she won the South American Championships
with a meet record score and took the bronze medal
at the 2007 Pan American Games
. She repeated as the continental champion in 2009, but was stripped of the title and banned for two years after she failed a drug test for the banned substance Erythropoietin
(EPO).
and horizontal jumps. She was the sprint hurdles champion and long jump
runner-up at the 2002 South American Youth Championships in Athletics
and went on to win the hurdles at the 2003 South American Junior Championships in Athletics
, where she was also fifth in the triple jump
. She took up the heptathlon in 2004 and made her breakthrough at the national level the following year, winning the Brazil championships with a personal best of 5378 points.
In her first international appearance in the combined events, she came fourth overall at the 2005 South American Championships in Athletics
. The following year she competed in Europe for the first time, gaining 4584 points at the Multistars
meet in Desenzano del Garda
. She improved her best to 5611 points on home turf in São Paulo
and demonstrated her versatility at the 2006 Lusophony Games
the following month, claiming the hurdles title and helping the Brazilian women to gold medals in the 100 and 400 m relay events.
Following a personal best score of 5897 points for fourth at the 2007 Multistars meeting, her first continental title came at the 2007 South American Championships in Athletics
in São Paulo
. Her mark of 5803 points was a new championship record and she also managed a bronze medal
in the 100 m hurdles at the competition. She scored over 5800 points again at July's Pan American Games
and claimed the bronze medal
behind Jessica Zelinka
and Gretchen Quintana
. As her continent's only representative in the women's heptathlon at the 2007 World Championships in Athletics
, she finished in 31st place.
Da Silva achieved the Olympic qualifying standard in April 2008, setting a best of 5906 points in Rio de Janeiro
. She won the heptathlon gold medal
at the 2008 Ibero-American Championships
, but did not fare as well at the national championships later that month, as she ended up in fourth. Representing Brazil at the 2008 Beijing Olympics
, she came seventeenth in the heptathlon event but broke Conceição Geremias
' 25-year-old South American record with her total of 6076 points.
She won at the Brazilian Championships in 2009 with a score of 5884 points and then improved her own meet record to win the 2009 South American Championships in Athletics
. However, this mark did not stand as she had failed a doping test in the days prior to the competition, testing positive for the banned substance Recombinant EPO. Her coach, Jayme Netto, admitted that he had administered the drug on a number of his athletes. She was stripped of her South American title and banned from the sport for two years for the doping infraction.
Lucélia
Lucélia is a municipality/county in the state of São Paulo in Brazil. The population in 2004 is 18.569 and the area is 315.38 km². The elevation is 438 m....
, 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...
) is a 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...
ian track and field
Track and field
Track and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
athlete who competes in the heptathlon
Heptathlon
A heptathlon is a track and field athletics combined events contest made up of seven events. The name derives from the Greek hepta and athlon . A competitor in a heptathlon is referred to as a heptathlete.-Women's Heptathlon:...
. She represented her country at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and competed at the World Championships in Athletics in 2007. Her personal best of 6076 points is the South American record for the event.
Following her first national title in 2005, da Silva emerged in 2007; she won the South American Championships
South American Championships in Athletics
The South American Championships in Athletics is a biennial athletics event organized by CONSUDATLE. The first edition in 1919 was competed between only two countries , but it has since expanded and has generally been held every two years since 1927.In addition, 8 unofficial championships were held...
with a meet record score and took the bronze medal
Bronze medal
A bronze medal is a medal awarded to the third place finisher of contests such as the Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, etc. The practice of awarding bronze third place medals began at the 1904 Olympic Games in St...
at the 2007 Pan American Games
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...
. She repeated as the continental champion in 2009, but was stripped of the title and banned for two years after she failed a drug test for the banned substance Erythropoietin
Erythropoietin
Erythropoietin, or its alternatives erythropoetin or erthropoyetin or EPO, is a glycoprotein hormone that controls erythropoiesis, or red blood cell production...
(EPO).
Career
She began her career as a specialist in the 100 metres hurdles100 metres hurdles
The 100 m hurdles are an Olympic track and field athletics discipline run by women . For the race ten hurdles of a height of 83.8 cm are placed evenly spaced along a straight course of 100 meters. They are positioned so that they will fall over if bumped into by the runner...
and horizontal jumps. She was the sprint hurdles champion and long jump
Long jump
The long jump is a track and field event in which athletes combine speed, strength, and agility in an attempt to leap as far as possible from a take off point...
runner-up at the 2002 South American Youth Championships in Athletics
South American Youth Championships in Athletics
The South American Youth Championships in Athletics is a biennial athletics eventorganized by "Confederación Sudamericana de Atletismo" , the South American area association of the International Amateur Athletic Federation . Starting in 1973, the competition was openfor athletes under-17 in the...
and went on to win the hurdles at the 2003 South American Junior Championships in Athletics
South American Junior Championships in Athletics
The South American Junior Championships in Athletics are the South American championships in the sport of athletics which is open for those in the junior age category . It is organized by the South American Athletics Confederation .The competition was first held in 1959 in Buenos Aires...
, where she was also fifth in the triple jump
Triple jump
The triple jump is a track and field sport, similar to the long jump, but involving a “hop, bound and jump” routine, whereby the competitor runs down the track and performs a hop, a bound and then a jump into the sand pit.The triple jump has its origins in the Ancient Olympics and has been a...
. She took up the heptathlon in 2004 and made her breakthrough at the national level the following year, winning the Brazil championships with a personal best of 5378 points.
In her first international appearance in the combined events, she came fourth overall at the 2005 South American Championships in Athletics
2005 South American Championships in Athletics
The 2005 South American Championships in Athletics were held at the Estadio Pascual Guerrero in Cali, Colombia from July 21 to July 24, 2005. Detailed day-by-day reports can be found on the IAAF website.-Men's events:-Women's events:-Medal table:...
. The following year she competed in Europe for the first time, gaining 4584 points at the Multistars
Multistars
Multistars is an annual international athletics competition held in Desenzano del Garda, Italy in early May. International athletes compete in the combined events, Decathlon for men and Heptathlon for women. Established in 1988, it is part of the IAAF World Combined Events Challenge. The most...
meet in Desenzano del Garda
Desenzano del Garda
Desenzano del Garda is a town and comune in the province of Brescia, in Lombardy, Italy, which borders Lake Garda. It is bordered by other communes of Castiglione delle Stiviere, Lonato, Padenghe sul Garda and Sirmione.-History:...
. She improved her best to 5611 points on home turf 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...
and demonstrated her versatility at the 2006 Lusophony Games
Athletics at the 2006 Lusophony Games
The Athletics at the 2006 Lusophony Games were held in the Macau Stadium on October 11 and 12. Brazil was the dominating delegation taking 19 out of 30 gold medals , while Sri Lanka managed to grab all three of gold medals it won in the Games in this sport...
the following month, claiming the hurdles title and helping the Brazilian women to gold medals in the 100 and 400 m relay events.
Following a personal best score of 5897 points for fourth at the 2007 Multistars meeting, her first continental title came at the 2007 South American Championships in Athletics
2007 South American Championships in Athletics
The 2007 South American Championships in Athletics were held at the Estádio Ícaro de Castro Mello in São Paulo, Brazil from 7 June to 9 June 2007...
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...
. Her mark of 5803 points was a new championship record and she also managed a bronze medal
Bronze medal
A bronze medal is a medal awarded to the third place finisher of contests such as the Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, etc. The practice of awarding bronze third place medals began at the 1904 Olympic Games in St...
in the 100 m hurdles at the competition. She scored over 5800 points again at July's Pan American Games
Athletics at the 2007 Pan American Games
The athletics competition at the 2007 Pan American Games was held at the Flamengo Park and Estádio Olímpico João Havelange in Rio de Janeiro between 22 July and 29 July 2007...
and claimed the bronze medal
Bronze medal
A bronze medal is a medal awarded to the third place finisher of contests such as the Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, etc. The practice of awarding bronze third place medals began at the 1904 Olympic Games in St...
behind Jessica Zelinka
Jessica Zelinka
Jessica Zelinka is a Canadian pentathlete and heptathlete. Her personal best score is 6490 points, which was achieved at 2008 Summer Olympics and is the Canadian record for the event...
and Gretchen Quintana
Gretchen Quintana
Gretchen Quintana Cordero is a female heptathlete from Cuba, who competed for her native country at the 2008 Summer Olympics.-Achievements:-External links:*...
. As her continent's only representative in the women's heptathlon at the 2007 World Championships in Athletics
2007 World Championships in Athletics
The 11th World Championships in Athletics, under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations , were held at Nagai Stadium in Osaka, Japan from 24 August to 2 September 2007...
, she finished in 31st place.
Da Silva achieved the Olympic qualifying standard in April 2008, setting a best of 5906 points in Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro , commonly referred to simply as Rio, is the capital city of the State of Rio de Janeiro, the second largest city of Brazil, and the third largest metropolitan area and agglomeration in South America, boasting approximately 6.3 million people within the city proper, making it the 6th...
. She won the heptathlon gold medal
Gold medal
A gold medal is typically the medal awarded for highest achievement in a non-military field. Its name derives from the use of at least a fraction of gold in form of plating or alloying in its manufacture...
at the 2008 Ibero-American Championships
2008 Ibero-American Championships
The 2008 Ibero-American Championships in Athletics was an athletics competition which was held at the Estadio Tierra de Campeones in Iquique, Chile from 13–15 June...
, but did not fare as well at the national championships later that month, as she ended up in fourth. Representing Brazil at the 2008 Beijing Olympics
Athletics at the 2008 Summer Olympics
Athletics at the 2008 Summer Olympics were held during the last 10 days of the games, from August 15 to August 24, 2008, at the Beijing National Stadium. The Olympic sport of athletics is split into four distinct sets of events: track and field events, road running events, and racewalking...
, she came seventeenth in the heptathlon event but broke Conceição Geremias
Conceição Geremias
Conceição Aparecida Geremias is a retired female heptathlete and long jumper from Brazil, who won the gold medal at the 1983 Pan American Games in Caracas. She is a three-time Olympian.-Achievements:-References:...
' 25-year-old South American record with her total of 6076 points.
She won at the Brazilian Championships in 2009 with a score of 5884 points and then improved her own meet record to win the 2009 South American Championships in Athletics
2009 South American Championships in Athletics
The 2009 South American Championships in Athletics was the forty sixth edition of the tournament and was held between 19 and 21 June in Lima, Peru....
. However, this mark did not stand as she had failed a doping test in the days prior to the competition, testing positive for the banned substance Recombinant EPO. Her coach, Jayme Netto, admitted that he had administered the drug on a number of his athletes. She was stripped of her South American title and banned from the sport for two years for the doping infraction.