When he qualified for the open swimming 10K, he did not manage to hold in the tears, and dedicated each stroke to his parents, who convinced him not to stop swimming. Indeed, underneath the tattoos covering his body, lies a heart of gold. In his free time, he goes out with friends and listens to music, but finds the “peace of the senses” only by fishing. His “cuddles”, however, are all for the piranhas that he keeps in the aquarium at home. The 25 year old, instead, likes to swim in the free waters: to the pool he prefers currents and depth, because for him they equate to freedom. On his tattooed chest he has a shark: it is his favourite animal. And in Rio, as a good predator, he is also ready to hunt down his opponents.