Diogo Silva

Who is Diogo Silva?

Diogo André Silvestre da Silva is a taekwondo athlete from Brazil. He finished in the fourth place in the men's 68-kilogram category in taekwondo at the 2004 Summer Olympics on August 27. At the 2012 Summer Olympics he finished in 5th in the same weight class. Silva failed to qualify for the 2008 Summer Olympics.

Silva was raised in Londrina, Paraná, and entered sports following a suggestion of his mother, who wanted him to enter an academy to stop fighting in the street. She wanted Silva to take up judo, but he entered taekwondo because he wanted to fight "like the actors in fighting movies". He cited as influences Jet Li and Jackie Chan, the latter being star of his favorite movies, Rumble in the Bronx and Rush Hour.

Silva frequently protests against the lack of support for his sport. He has alleged that he receives only $600 reais "which come late, only between three and three months" from the taekwondo confederation, and having to spend R$5000 of his own money to train and compete in Europe. He is also an accomplished tree climber, surfer, parachutist and bunjee-jumper.