João Gonçalves Filho

Who was João Gonçalves Filho?

João Gonçalves Filho was a Brazilian sportsman. He competed in five Olympics. Born in São Paulo, he represented Brazil in swimming at the 1952 and 1956 Olympics and in water polo at the 1960, 1964, and 1968 Olympics.

At the inaugural Pan American Games in 1951, in Buenos Aires, Argentina, he won a silver medal in the 4×200-metre freestyle, along with Aram Boghossian, Ricardo Capanema, and Tetsuo Okamoto.

At the 1952 Summer Olympics in Helsinki, he swam the 100-metre backstroke and the 4×200-metre freestyle, not reaching the final.

At the 1955 Pan American Games in Mexico City, he finished 4th in the 100-metre backstroke, and 4th in the 4 × 100-metre medley.

At the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne, he swam the 100-metre backstroke, not reaching the final.

At the 1959 Pan American Games in Chicago, he won the bronze medal in the Water Polo.

At the 1963 Pan American Games in São Paulo, he won the gold medal in the Water Polo.

At the 1967 Pan American Games in Winnipeg, he won the silver medal in the Water Polo.

At Rome 1960, Tokyo 1964 and Mexico City 1968, he finished 13th with the Brazilian Water Polo team.

He was the flag bearer of the Brazilian delegation at Mexico City 1968. Later, became coach of the judo's Brazilian Olympic Team, at Barcelona 1992 and Atlanta 1996, and head of the judo in Esporte Clube Pinheiros. He died in June 2010.