![]() Governo on TV Surdo Mozambique in 2017 | |
Personal information | |
---|---|
Born | Maputo, Mozambique | 28 February 1998
Sport | |
Sport | Athletics |
Disability class | T12, T13 |
Achievements and titles | |
Paralympic finals | 2016, 2020 |
Edmilsa Governo (born 28 February 1998) [1] is a Mozambican athlete, who won a bronze medal in the women's 400 metres T12 event at the 2016 Summer Paralympics. She also won a gold medal in the 200 metres T12 event at the 2015 African Games, and a bronze medal in the 400 metres T12 event at the 2015 IPC Athletics World Championships.
Governo was born on 28 February 1998 in Maputo, Mozambique. [1] She started racing at the age of 8. [2] Governo has cited fellow Mozambican athlete Maria Mutola, who competed at six Olympic Games as an inspiration. [3]
In 2015, Governo won the 200 metres T12 event at the 2015 African Games, [2] and came third in the 400 metres T12 race at the 2015 IPC Athletics World Championships in Doha, Qatar. [2] [3] In 2016, she won the 200 metres T12 event at the IPC Athletics Grand Prix in Tunis, Tunisia. [4]
At the age of 18, [2] Governo competed at the 2016 Summer Paralympics. She was the only Mozambican athlete at the Games, [5] and as such was the country's flag bearer at the Parade of Nations. [6] She competed in the women's 100 metres T12 and 400 metres T12 races. [5] In the semi-finals of the 400 metres T12 event, she set an African continental record time of 54.99 seconds. [7] Her time was the third quickest time of the round. [8] In the final, Governo broke the African continental record again, finishing third in a time of 53.89 seconds. [3] [7] She lost to Ukrainian Oksana Boturchuk in a sprint finish; Boturshuk finished second in the race. [9] Governo was Mozambique's first medalist at a Paralympic Games. [7] In the 100 metres T12 event, Governo came third in her semi-final, in a national record time of 12.35. [10] She did not qualify for the final. [10] In 2017, Governo failed to qualify for the 2017 World Para Athletics Championships in London. [3]
Governo and Hilario Chavela were Mozambique's flag bearers at the 2020 Summer Paralympics Parade of Nations. [11] At the delayed Games, she came last in her heat in the 100 metres T13 event. [12] She won her 400 metres T13 heat in an African record time of 55.50 seconds, [13] and finished fifth in the final. [14]
In 2015, Governo was named Mozambique's female sportsperson of the year, at the country's Gala Nacional do Desporto (National Sports Gala). [15]