From Rio de Janeiro to Eindhoven: it took a lot of getting used to for Tiago Fonseca Gomes (18). At the age of twelve he came to the Netherlands with his family. Six years later he can participate on behalf of his new country in the European Championships for senior swimming at four distances. “Of course I miss Brazil sometimes, but I was raised as a Dutch boy from the age of 12.”
Already at the age of three, Tiago was regularly in the pool. When he was eight, he chose competitive swimming. “My parents told me to find a sport in which I could release my energy. I loved swimming and it went well. At a young age I wanted to work hard to make my dreams come true. My role models were top athletes such as Michael Jordan, Tiger Woods and Michael Phelps. They did everything they could to reach the top.”
“Here it is often around 20 degrees, which we found super cold in Rio.”
Tiago was born in the Brazilian capital Brasília and the family moved to Rio de Janeiro three years later. “A great city with nice weather. I regularly went swimming in the sea with my friends after morning training and school.” At the age of twelve he moved to the Netherlands. His father was offered a job in Eindhoven, and Tiago, his brothers and parents boarded a plane.
“I remember well how I had to get used to the temperature. Here it is often around 20 degrees, which we found super cold in Rio. I found the winter months to be tough. I am a bit more used to it now, but I still get on my bike early in the morning with a thick coat and two pairs of gloves.”
“It was less safe there as a cyclist.”
It wasn’t just the weather that caused a culture shock. “I missed my family, my friends and the food in Brazil. And I didn’t speak the language,” Tiago now says in flawless Dutch. “But the biggest difference was that in Brazil I was always brought by my parents. There it was less safe as a cyclist. In the Netherlands I am responsible for getting up, cycling and being on time for my training and school. It made me mature at a young age.”
In the swimming pool in Eindhoven it quickly became clear that Tiago was a great talent. Because he did not yet have a Dutch passport, he was not allowed to participate in tournaments on behalf of the Netherlands. This year he received that passport and went straight to the European Youth Championship. His current sporting highlight is the European Championships for seniors in early December in Poland, where he swims the 200, 400 and 800 meter freestyle and the 200 meter butterfly.
“I love this lifestyle and my friends.”
“I knew it was in the cards, so I don’t want to say it was a big surprise. However, I never dared to say it out loud. The fact that I can now make my debut is a great feeling. These are mainly competitions from which I can learn a lot. There are opponents in the pool who have participated in the European Championship before, it is new for me. I have nothing to lose and I will try to do the best I can.”
The Olympic Games are his big goal, and then as a swimmer for TeamNL. “I am Brazilian and miss the country, my friends and family. But I have lived here since I was 12 and grew up with the Dutch culture. I love this lifestyle, my friends here and swimming with world top players. I enjoy my life.”
