{{Short description|Brazilian swimmer (born 1983)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=November 2025}} {{Infobox swimmer | name= Poliana Okimoto | image = Poliana Okimoto Rio 2016.jpg | caption = Okimoto at the 2016 Olympics | full_name = Poliana Okimoto Cintra | nationality = {{BRA}} | birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1983|3|8}} | birth_place = [[São Paulo]], Brazil<ref name=cob/> | height = 1.65 m<ref name=cob>[https://www.cob.org.br/pt/atletas/poliana-okimoto-cintra Poliana Okimoto]. cob.org.br</ref> | weight = 52 kg<ref name=cob/> | strokes = [[freestyle swimming|Freestyle]] | club = Unisanta<ref name=cob/> | coach = Ricardo Cintra<ref name=cob/> | show-medals = yes | medaltemplates = {{Medal|Sport|Women's swimming}} {{Medal|Country|{{BRA}}}} {{Medal|Competition|[[Olympic Games]]}} {{Medal|Bronze|[[2016 Summer Olympics|2016 Rio de Janeiro]]|[[Swimming at the 2016 Summer Olympics – Women's marathon 10 kilometre|10 km open water]]}} {{Medal|Competition|[[World Aquatics Championships|World Championships]]}} {{Medal|Gold|[[2013 World Aquatics Championships|2013 Barcelona]]|[[Open water swimming at the 2013 World Aquatics Championships – Women's 10 km|10 km open water]]}} {{Medal|Silver|2013 Barcelona|[[Open water swimming at the 2013 World Aquatics Championships – Women's 5 km|5 km open water]]}} {{Medal|Bronze|[[2009 World Aquatics Championships|2009 Rome]]|[[Open water swimming at the 2009 World Aquatics Championships – Women's 5 km|5 km open water]]}} {{Medal|Bronze|2013 Barcelona|[[Open water swimming at the 2013 World Aquatics Championships – Team|Team open water]]}} {{Medal|Competition|[[FINA World Open Water Swimming Championships|World Open Water Championships]]}} {{Medal|Silver|[[2006 FINA World Open Water Swimming Championships|2006 Naples]]|[[2006 FINA World Open Water Swimming Championships – Women's 5K|5 km open water]]}} {{Medal|Silver|2006 Naples| [[2006 FINA World Open Water Swimming Championships – Women's 10K|10 km open water]]}} {{Medal|Competition|[[Pan American Games]]}} {{Medal|Silver|[[2007 Pan American Games|2007 Rio de Janeiro]]|[[Swimming at the 2007 Pan American Games - Women's marathon 10 kilometres|10 km open water]]}} {{Medal|Silver|[[2011 Pan American Games|2011 Guadalajara]]|[[Swimming at the 2011 Pan American Games – Women's marathon 10 kilometres|10 km open water]]}} }}
'''Poliana Okimoto Cintra''' (born 8 March 1983) is a Brazilian long-distance swimmer.<ref name=sr>{{cite Sports-Reference |title=Poliana Okimoto |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/ok/poliana-okimoto-cintra-1.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170117095521/http://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/ok/poliana-okimoto-cintra-1.html |archive-date=17 January 2017 |access-date=18 April 2013}}</ref><ref name=sportv>{{cite web |title=World Champion Poliana Okimoto reveals phobia: 'I was scared to death of the sea' |work=SPORTV |date=24 January 2012 |url=http://sportv.globo.com/site/programas/sportv-reporter/noticia/2012/01/campea-mundial-poliana-okimoto-revela-fobia-morria-de-medo-do-mar.html |access-date=18 April 2013 |language=pt}}</ref>
==Career== She was at the [[2002 FINA World Swimming Championships (25 m)]] in [[Moscow]], where she finished 18th in the 800-metre freestyle.<ref>{{cite web |title=Results of the 800-metre freestyle at 2002 Moscow |work=OmegaTiming |date=4 April 2002 |url=http://www.omegatiming.com/File/Download?id=0001020C0025000000FFFFFFFFFFFF01 |access-date=18 April 2013}}</ref>
She won the [[Travessia dos Fortes]] in 2005.<ref name=sportv/>
Okimoto competed in the [[Swimming at the 2007 Pan American Games - Women's marathon 10 kilometres|2007 Pan American Games]] in [[Rio de Janeiro]], in the first appearance of the marathon swimming, where she received the silver medal in the Women's 10K, the first Brazilian medal at this edition.<ref>{{cite web |title=Poliana Okimoto wins silver |work=Globoesporte |date=14 July 2007 |url=http://globoesporte.globo.com/PAN/Noticias/0,,MUL69721-3853,00-POLIANA+OKIMOTO+CONQUISTA+A+PRATA.html |access-date=18 April 2013 |language=pt}}</ref><ref name=sportv/>
Okimoto finished 7th<ref name=sr/><ref name=sportv/> in the inaugural [[Swimming at the 2008 Summer Olympics – Women's marathon 10 kilometre|aquatic marathon (10 km race)]] at the [[Swimming at the 2008 Summer Olympics|2008 Olympics]].<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20080908155557/http://results.beijing2008.cn/WRM/ENG/BIO/Athlete/3/201913.shtml 2008 Olympics profile]</ref>
She also swam at the 2008 Open Water World Championships in Seville, Spain.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://openwaterswimming.com/2017/10/poliana-okimoto-honored-by-hall-of-fame/ |title=Poliana Okimoto Honored By The Hall Of Fame - WOWSA |website=Open Water Swimming - World Open Water Swimming Association |date=11 October 2017 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200130000345/https://openwaterswimming.com/2017/10/poliana-okimoto-honored-by-hall-of-fame/ |archive-date=2020-01-30 |access-date=2020-01-29}}</ref>
In 2009, Okimoto won the marathon swimming World Cup, winning 9 of 11 stages held, becoming the first Brazilian champion of the sport.<ref name=sportv/>
At the [[2009 World Aquatics Championships]] in [[Rome]], obtained the bronze medal. With that, she broke a 15 years-fast for Brazil in the World Championships, and became the first Brazilian woman to win a medal in the competition's history.<ref>{{cite web |title=Okimoto takes bronze and breaks fasting for 15 years for Brazil in World Championships |work=Globoesporte |date=21 July 2009 |url=http://globoesporte.globo.com/Esportes/Noticias/Esportes_Aquaticos/0,,MUL1236900-16315,00-POLIANA+OKIMOTO+LEVA+BRONZE+E+QUEBRA+JEJUM+DE+ANOS+PARA+O+BRASIL+NO+MUNDIAL.html |access-date=18 April 2013 |language=pt}}</ref> She was considered by ''[[Época (Brazilian magazine)|Época]]'' magazine one of the 100 most influential Brazilians in 2009.<ref>{{cite web |title=Season – NEWS – the 100 most influential Brazilians in 2009 |work=ÉPOCA |date=20 December 2009 |url=http://revistaepoca.globo.com/Revista/Epoca/1,,EMI108920-17445,00.html |access-date=18 April 2013 |language=pt |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130514090608/http://revistaepoca.globo.com/Revista/Epoca/1%2C%2CEMI108920-17445%2C00.html |archive-date=14 May 2013}}</ref>
She was at the [[2010 Pan Pacific Swimming Championships]] in [[Irvine, California|Irvine]], where she finished 20th in the 400-metre freestyle.<ref>{{cite web |title=Results of the 400-metre freestyle at 2010 Pan Pac in Irvine |work=OmegaTiming |date=20 August 2010 |url=http://www.omegatiming.com/File/Download?id=00010A0B0028000000FFFFFFFFFFFF01 |access-date=28 April 2013}}</ref>
In 2010, she broke the short-course Brazilian records of the 800-metre freestyle (8:27.77) <ref>{{cite news |title=Records' rain opens the Brazilian Swimming Short Course Championships |url=http://www.cbda.org.br/noticias/chuva-de-recordes-abre-o-brasileiro-em-piscina-curta |publisher=CBDA |date=20 September 2010 |access-date=8 August 2013 |archive-date=26 December 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101226172224/http://www.cbda.org.br/noticias/chuva-de-recordes-abre-o-brasileiro-em-piscina-curta |url-status=dead}}</ref> and 1500-metre freestyle (16:09.04).<ref>{{cite news |title=Jose Finkel Trophy Meet: Kristel Kobrich Sets South American Record |url=http://www.swimmingworldmagazine.com/lane9/news/25100.asp?q=Jose-Finkel-Trophy-Meet:-Kristel-Kobrich-Sets-South-American-Record |publisher=[[Swimming World Magazine]] |date=26 September 2010 |access-date=5 October 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120825215249/http://www.swimmingworldmagazine.com/lane9/news/25100.asp?q=Jose-Finkel-Trophy-Meet%3A-Kristel-Kobrich-Sets-South-American-Record |archive-date=25 August 2012 |df=mdy-all}}</ref>
At the [[2011 Pan American Games]] in [[Guadalajara]], Okimoto repeated the 2007 result, and again won the silver.<ref>{{cite web |title=Brazilian Poliana Okimoto bill silver in the marathon swimming |work=R7 |date=22 October 2011 |url=http://rederecord.r7.com/pan-guadalajara-2011/noticias/brasileira-poliana-okimoto-fatura-a-prata-na-maratona-aquatica.html |access-date=18 April 2013 |language=pt}}</ref>
In the [[2012 Summer Olympics|2012 Olympics in London]] Okimoto was unable to complete the race due to the water temperature, being disqualified.<ref name=sr/> The frustration that followed led Okimoto to clinical depression and thoughts of abandoning the sport, before being convinced otherwise by among others her husband-coach Ricardo Cintra.<ref>[http://espn.uol.com.br/noticia/345452_poliana-okimoto-supera-depressao-apos-olimpiadas-pensei-em-parar Poliana Okimoto supera depressão após Olimpíadas: 'Pensei em parar']</ref>
At the [[Open water swimming at the 2013 World Aquatics Championships|2013 World Aquatics Championships]], in [[Barcelona]], Poliana had a historical participation. She won the silver medal in the Women's 5K race,<ref>{{cite web |title=Poliana and Ana Marcela lead Brazil to the podium with silver and bronze in the 5km |work=SPORTV |date=20 July 2013 |url=http://sportv.globo.com/site/eventos/mundial-de-esportes-aquaticos/noticia/2013/07/poliana-e-ana-marcela-levam-brasil-ao-podio-com-prata-e-bronze-nos-5km.html |access-date=20 July 2013 |language=pt}}</ref> and, some days later, became the World Champion in the 10K race.<ref>{{cite web |title=Poliana and Ana Marcela make history and won the gold and silver medals in the 10km |work=SPORTV |date=23 July 2013 |url=http://sportv.globo.com/site/eventos/mundial-de-esportes-aquaticos/noticia/2013/07/poliana-e-ana-marcela-conquistam-ouro-e-prata-nos-10km-do-mundial.html |access-date=23 July 2013 |language=pt}}</ref> Finishing, in the team event, she won the bronze medal with the Brazilian team, along with [[Samuel de Bona]] and [[Allan do Carmo]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Tireless, Poliana help male duo and invoice bronze by teams |work=SPORTV |date=25 July 2013 |url=http://sportv.globo.com/site/eventos/mundial-de-esportes-aquaticos/noticia/2013/07/incansavel-poliana-ajuda-dupla-masculina-e-fatura-bronze-por-equipes.html |access-date=25 July 2013 |language=pt}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Results of the Marathon Swimming Teams at 2013 Barcelona |work=OmegaTiming |date=25 July 2013 |url=http://www.omegatiming.com/File/Download?id=00010D04000400FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF02 |access-date=25 July 2013}}</ref>
On 12 August 2013, Okimoto broke the Brazilian record in the 1500-metre freestyle, with a time of 16:26.90.<ref>{{cite web |title=Poliana breaks a 12-year brazilian record |work=CBDA |date=12 August 2013 |url=http://www.cbda.org.br/noticias/poliana-bate-recorde-brasileiro-de-12-anos |access-date=21 September 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131109071228/http://www.cbda.org.br/noticias/poliana-bate-recorde-brasileiro-de-12-anos |archive-date=9 November 2013 |df=mdy-all}}</ref>
At the [[Open water swimming at the 2015 World Aquatics Championships|2015 FINA World Championships]] in [[Kazan]], Okimoto finished 6th in the [[Open water swimming at the 2015 World Aquatics Championships – Women's 10 km|10 km marathon]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Ana Marcela Cunha wins bronze in the 10 km marathon and guarantees the Olympic vacancy |work=R7 |date=28 July 2015 |url=http://rederecord.r7.com/pan-toronto-2015/ana-marcela-cunha-e-bronze-nos-10-quilometros-da-maratona-aquatica-e-garante-vaga-na-olimpiada-28072015 |access-date=30 July 2015 |language=pt |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150730041054/http://rederecord.r7.com/pan-toronto-2015/ana-marcela-cunha-e-bronze-nos-10-quilometros-da-maratona-aquatica-e-garante-vaga-na-olimpiada-28072015 |archive-date=30 July 2015 |df=mdy-all}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Results of the 10 km marathon at 2015 Kazan |work=[[Omega SA|OmegaTiming]] |date=28 July 2015 |url=http://omegatiming.com/File/Download?id=00010F04000202FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF02 |access-date=30 July 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190213085954/http://omegatiming.com/File/Download?id=00010F04000202FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF02 |archive-date=13 February 2019 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
Okimoto initially finished fourth at the [[Swimming at the 2016 Summer Olympics – Women's marathon 10 kilometre|10 km race]] at the [[Swimming at the 2016 Summer Olympics|2016 Olympics]] hosted by Brazil. A disqualification of second placed [[Aurélie Muller]] upgraded her to the bronze, making Okimoto the first Brazilian woman to win a swimming Olympic medal.<ref>[https://sports.yahoo.com/news/dutch-swimmer-van-rouwendaal-wins-womens-10km-open-142332096--oly.html Dutch swimmer Van Rouwendaal wins women's 10km open water gold] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170207114454/https://sports.yahoo.com/news/dutch-swimmer-van-rouwendaal-wins-womens-10km-open-142332096--oly.html |date=7 February 2017 }}. Sports.yahoo.com (29 June 2016). Retrieved on 17 August 2016.</ref><ref>[http://oglobo.globo.com/esportes/poliana-okimoto-conquista-bronze-na-maratona-aquatica-19924290 Poliana Okimoto conquista o bronze na maratona aquática]. Oglobo.globo.com. Retrieved on 17 August 2016.</ref>
The following year, Okimoto wound up absent of the [[2017 FINA World Championships|2017 World Championships]], finishing third in the national 10 km qualifiers and skipping the 5 km ones.<ref>[http://www1.folha.uol.com.br/esporte/2017/05/1883123-medalhista-olimpica-poliana-okimoto-e-superada-e-fica-fora-de-mundial.shtml Medalhista olímpica, Poliana Okimoto é superada e fica fora de Mundial]</ref><ref>[http://sportv.globo.com/videos/esportes-aquaticos/t/natacao/v/poliana-okimoto-nao-comparece-a-prova-dos-5km-e-esta-fora-do-mundial-de-esportes-aquaticos/5868359/ Poliana Okimoto não comparece à prova dos 5km e está fora do Mundial de Esportes Aquáticos]</ref>
== See also == *[[List of Brazilian records in swimming]]
== References == {{reflist|30em}}
==External links== {{Commons category|Poliana Okimoto}} * {{World Aquatics|name=Poliana Okimoto Cintra}} * {{Olympics.com}} * {{Olympedia}} * {{COB profile}} * {{Instagram}}
{{S-start}} {{s-ach|aw}} {{Succession box | before = [[Sheilla Castro]] | after = [[Martine Grael]] and<br /> [[Kahena Kunze]] | title = [[Prêmio Brasil Olímpico|Brazilian Sportswomen of the Year]] | years = 2013 }} {{succession box|title=[[List of FINA Athletes of the Year#Open water swimming|FINA Open Water Swimmer of the Year]]|before={{flagicon|HUN}} [[Éva Risztov]]|after={{flagicon|BRA}} [[Ana Marcela Cunha]]|years=2013}} {{S-end}}
{{Footer Brazil Swimming 2008 Summer Olympics}} {{Prêmio Brasil Olímpico}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Okimoto, Poliana}} [[Category:1983 births]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:Brazilian female long-distance swimmers]] [[Category:World Aquatics Championships medalists in open water swimming]] [[Category:Olympic swimmers for Brazil]] [[Category:Olympic bronze medalists for Brazil]] [[Category:Olympic bronze medalists in swimming]] [[Category:Swimmers at the 2008 Summer Olympics]] [[Category:Swimmers at the 2012 Summer Olympics]] [[Category:Swimmers at the 2016 Summer Olympics]] [[Category:Medalists at the 2016 Summer Olympics]] [[Category:Pan American Games swimmers for Brazil]] [[Category:Pan American Games silver medalists for Brazil]] [[Category:Pan American Games silver medalists in swimming]] [[Category:Swimmers at the 2007 Pan American Games]] [[Category:Swimmers at the 2011 Pan American Games]] [[Category:Medalists at the 2007 Pan American Games]] [[Category:Medalists at the 2011 Pan American Games]] [[Category:Swimmers from São Paulo]] [[Category:Brazilian people of Japanese descent]] [[Category:Sportspeople of Japanese descent]] [[Category:21st-century Brazilian sportswomen]]