Vanessa Fernandes facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
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Vanessa Fernandes

Fernandes at the 2008 Summer Olympics
Personal information
Full name	Vanessa de Sousa Fernandes
Nationality	Portuguese
Born	(1985-09-14) 14 September 1985 (age 39) Perosinho, Vila Nova de Gaia, Portugal
Residence	Jamor, Oeiras, Portugal
Height	169 cm (5 ft 7 in)
Weight	55 kg (121 lb)
Sport
Country	Portugal
Sport	Triathlon
Club	Benfica
Medal record Women's triathlon Representing  Portugal Olympic Games Silver 2008 Beijing Women's race ITU World Championships Gold 2007 Hamburg Elite women's race Silver 2006 Lausanne Elite women's race Bronze 2003 Queenstown Junior women's race ITU Triathlon World Cup Gold 2006 Overall World Cup Gold 2007 Overall World Cup European Championships Gold 2003 Carlsbad Junior women's race Gold 2004 Tiszaújváros U-23 women's race Gold 2004 Valencia Elite women's race Gold 2005 Sofia U-23 women's race Gold 2005 Lausanne Elite women's race Gold 2006 Rijeka U-23 women's race Gold 2006 Autun Elite women's race Gold 2007 Copenhagen Elite women's race Gold 2008 Lisbon Elite women's race Gold 2008 Pulpi U-23 women's race Bronze 2002 Győr Junior women's race Women's duathlon ITU Duathlon World Championships Gold 2007 Győr Elite women's race Gold 2008 Rimini Elite women's race ETU Duathlon European Championships Gold 2006 Rimini Elite women's race Bronze 2002 Zeitz Junior women's race

Fernandes finishing second in Lausanne 2006

Fernandes (left), silver medalist at the 2008 Summer Olympics

Vanessa de Sousa Fernandes is a famous athlete from Portugal. She was born on September 14, 1985. Vanessa is known for being a champion in both triathlon and duathlon. She has won many titles, including European and world championships, and even an Olympic medal!

Vanessa won the European Triathlon Championships five years in a row, starting in 2004. On September 1, 2007, she became a world champion in Hamburg, Germany. This was a huge achievement, as it was the only major title she hadn't won yet, besides an Olympic medal. Since 2005, she has competed for the sports club S.L. Benfica.

Vanessa's Amazing Sports Career

Vanessa Fernandes was born in Perosinho, a town in Portugal. She started triathlon in 1999 when she was 14 years old. Her father, Venceslau Fernandes, who was a professional cyclist, introduced her to the sport. He even won the Volta a Portugal bike race in 1984!

Vanessa first competed for her local club, Clube de Perosinho. Then she joined Belenenses, where she became a world champion in the under-23 age group. In 2005, she moved to S.L. Benfica and has been with them ever since. Sometimes, she also takes part in cross country running events.

First Olympic Games Experience

Vanessa competed in the Olympic Games for the first time in 2004. She was only 18 years old at the Athens Olympics. She finished in eighth place, which was a great result for such a young athlete!

Becoming a World Champion

In June 2006, Vanessa won the International Triathlon Union World Cup. This meant she was ranked number one in the world! Later that year, she matched a record set by Australian athlete Emma Carney. Vanessa won her twelfth World Cup race in Beijing, China.

Because of her amazing achievements, she received the "Best Female Athlete of the Year" award in 2006. This award came from the CNID, which is Portugal's National Sports Press Club. In 2008, she won her fifth Elite European Championships title in a row. This victory happened "at home" in Lisbon, Portugal.

Olympic Medal Success

In August 2008, Vanessa competed in the Beijing Olympic Games. She finished second in the triathlon race, winning her first Olympic medal! This was a silver medal, a fantastic achievement for her country.

After taking a break from competing for several years, Vanessa started training again. She aimed to compete in the 2016 Summer Olympics.

Vanessa's Major Achievements

Vanessa Fernandes has achieved many great things in her career. Here are some of her most important wins and top finishes:

2003: Junior World Champion

• 1st – World Duathlon Championships (Affoltern, Switzerland) – junior
• 1st – European Championships (Carlsbad, Czech Republic) – junior
• 3rd – World Championships (Queenstown, New Zealand) – junior
• 1st – World Cup (Madrid, Spain)
• 1st – World Cup (Cancún, Mexico)

2004: European and Olympic Debut

• 1st – Portugal National Championships
• 1st – European Under-23 Championships (Tiszaújváros, Hungary)
• 1st – European Championships (Valencia, Spain)
• 8th – Olympic Games (Athens, Greece)

2005: More European Titles

• 1st – European Under-23 Championships (Sofia, Bulgaria)
• 1st – European Championships (Lausanne, Switzerland)
• 1st – World Cup (Madrid, Spain)
• 1st – World Cup (Mazatlán, Mexico)
• 1st – World Cup (Beijing, China)
• 1st – World Cup (New Plymouth, New Zealand)

2006: World Cup Champion

• 1st – Overall ITU World Cup
• 1st – European Championships (Autun, France)
• 1st – European Under-23 Championships (Rijeka, Croatia)
• 1st – European Duathlon Championships (Rimini, Italy)
• 2nd – World Championships (Lausanne, Switzerland)

2007: World Champion

• 1st – Overall ITU World Cup
• 1st – World Duathlon Championships (Győr, Hungary)
• 1st – European Championships (Copenhagen, Denmark)
• 1st – World Championships (Hamburg, Germany)

2008: Olympic Silver Medalist

• 2nd – Olympic Games (Beijing, China)
• 1st – European Championships (Lisbon, Portugal)
• 1st – World Cup (Madrid, Spain)

Awards and Honors

Vanessa Fernandes has received special honors for her achievements:

• She is a Grand Officer of the Order of Prince Henry.
• She is a Commander of the Order of Merit.
• She is also an Officer of the Order of Merit.

See also

In Spanish: Vanessa Fernandes para niños