I am a surfer from the Alentejo coast, in Portugal, who has been surfing for some years and with 38 years of age I started competing. My first competition was at ISA STANCE ADAPTIVE CHAMPIONSHIP, in 2018. In 2019 I took 2nd place at EURO ADAPTIVE SURFING, in Viana do Castelo, Portugal. In 2021 i took the 4 place at WORLD PARASURFING CHAMPIONSHIP in Pismo Beach. In 2022 I become WORLD CHAMPION in STAND 1, and 2023 Become European Champion

I started surfing six years ago and, since the first time I stood up on a surfboard, I realized that surfing was what I wanted to do. Since that day in 2017, the sport has been improving my life in many ways: physically, mentally and socially. Today, I can’t imagine my life without surfing.

Afonso has been an athlete his whole life. By the age of 6, he was already competing in kart racing, and by 16, he had become a competitive surfer. That same year, a serious accident resulted in a traumatic brain injury (TBI), altering his path but not his drive for competition. Through perseverance, he discovered Para Surfing—a new way to connect with the ocean and a powerful reason to keep competing. Adaptive surfing reignited Afonso’s joy and gave him a renewed purpose: to make surfing his profession and reach the pinnacle of the sport by becoming a World Champion. With the support of a dedicated team on both land and sea, he has been able to channel his determination and talent toward achieving this dream. So far, Afonso has earned 3rd place in the European Adapted Surfing Championship and ranked 14th in the World Championships in California in 2023. His journey is a testament to resilience and the transformative power of sports.