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For Brazilian para jiu-jitsu athlete Alex Flavio Oliveira Silva, losing his right leg in a traffic accident changed his life, but it did not stop him from pursuing sport. The 36-year-old, who won bronze in the Men’s Para Jiu-Jitsu A4-2 division at the 18th Abu Dhabi World Professional Jiu-Jitsu Championship, hopes his journey will encourage others facing similar challenges to believe in what they can achieve.
A former third sergeant in the Brazilian Navy, Silva lost his right leg following a traffic accident in 2020 in which his right foot was crushed. Following the amputation, he began looking for a martial art he could practise and eventually discovered jiu-jitsu through his daughter, Amanda Silva.
After enrolling Amanda in jiu-jitsu classes, Silva began watching her training sessions and realised he could perform many of the same movements himself.
“After I enrolled my daughter in jiu-jitsu classes, I started watching her train and realised I could do many of the same movements,” he said.
Representing GFTEAM academy, Silva started training in 2023 and soon discovered that jiu-jitsu offered him an opportunity to stay active and challenge himself despite his injury.
“I wanted to practise a martial art, and I realised I could do many things once I took off my prosthesis,” Silva said.
What began as an interest in his daughter’s training soon became an important part of his own life. Jiu-jitsu helped him regain confidence in his physical abilities and showed him that losing a limb did not mean giving up the activities he enjoyed.
Silva’s participation in the Abu Dhabi World Professional Jiu-Jitsu Championship marked another step in his journey, as he joined para-athletes from different countries competing on the international stage.
Reflecting on his experience, Silva hopes other people who have suffered serious injuries will not see them as the end of their sporting ambitions.
“Jiu-jitsu changed my life and showed me that I can still do many things,” he said.
“Many people think losing a leg is the end, but it’s just the beginning. We can still do so many things after that.”