Photo Essay: Golden Gabrielzinho, the Brazilian Paralympic swimming phenomenon

'Mission accomplished' for athlete after claiming three gold medals in Paris, bettering his glittering performance four years earlier

Brazilian paralympic swimmer Gabriel Geraldo dos Santos Araujo has lunch before training in Juiz de Fora, Brazil. All photos: AFP

Gabriel prepares to dive during a training session

Gabriel trains in the gym

A personal trainer puts Gabriel through his paces

Gabriel starts his day of training early

When Gabriel is not training, he likes to relax at home

Gabriel uses his phone to keep his friends and family updated with his diving

From left, Chile's Alberto Caroly Abarza Diaz, Gabriel, and Brazil's Bruno Becker da Silva compete for a place in the Men's 200m Freestyle race

Gabriel in action in Paris

Gabriel celebrates his victory at the end of the men's S2 200m freestyle final event

Gabriel receives his medal

Brazilian Paralympic swimmer Gabrielzinho won a remarkable three gold medals at the Paris Games, claiming his final victory in the 200 metres freestyle S2 event at La Defence Arena. The athlete, who has no arms or hands and whose legs are atrophied, clocked 3min 58.92sec ahead of neutral swimmer Vladimir Danilenko.

The Brazilian, whose full name is Gabriel Geraldo dos Santos Araujo, also secured gold in the 100m backstroke and 50m backstroke. "It's a feeling of mission accomplished, a duty accomplished, because I came to Paris to get the three golds," said Gabrielzinho, 22. “So I’m really happy.”

His hat trick in Paris means he bettered his glittering performance at the Tokyo Games four years ago, when the Brazilian earned two golds and one silver.

The smiling swimmer was one of the stars in Paris, earning fans around the world by dancing in celebration at the Games. He said it was "a way of representing all Brazilian fans".

"Since they cheer for me in the water, I represent them outside of it," he added.

His supporters hoped to see Gabrielzinho's poolside moves once again on Friday, when he competed in the heats for the men's 50m freestyle S3. He did not expect to medal, saying before the race he would "compete only for fun", and finished in fifth. But that result does little to take the lustre off his latest Paralympic performance.