Flashback: Brazil’s Daniel Dias wins six gold medals at London Aquatics Centre during 2012 Paralympics

He was named sportsperson of the year with a disability for the second time at the 2013 Laureus World Sports Awards following hie exploits in London, which also featured four world records.

At his home Paralympics in Rio four years later he picked up four further golds and confirmed his status as his country’s most decorated Paralympian with 24 medals (14 gold) over three Games.

Dias, who was born with malformed upper and lower limbs, was inspired to take up swimming at the age of 16 after seeing countryman Clodoaldo Silva at the Athens Paralympics in 2004, and competed at his first World Championships in 2006.

He made a significant breakthrough at the Beijing Paralympics in 2008, picking up four gold medals, four silver and one bronze.

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