Pedro and Diogo Costa sail out to Tokyo with the support of Porto and the Atlantic Front

The Sailor brothers from Porto are about to sail out to Japan, where they will compete in the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games. Sailors Pedro and Diogo Costa thanked the support of all the municipalities of the Atlantic Front. “It is a source of pride for all those that like water sports”, enhanced the Mayor of Porto City Hall.

In their Olympic debut, the brothers Pedro and Diogo Costa, the world runners-up rely on the support by the three municipalities that are linked to their path: they were born in Porto, they now live in Matosinhos and represent the We Do Sailing Club, of Vila Nova de Gaia.

“Sailing honours our country and our traditions”, emphasized Rui Moreira, recalling the Silver Medal conquered by the brothers Fernando and Duarte Bello, in the Swallow Class, in London, in 1948. “Sailing is different to other sports; it implies tactics, wit, and factors that do not depend on us”, Rui Moreira furthered.

During the farewell ceremony, which was held in the Douro Marina, in addition to the Mayor of Porto, Rui Moreira, Pedro and Diogo Costa were also greeted by the councillor for Youth and Sports of Porto City Hall, Catarina Araújo, the managing director of Ágora – Cultura e Desporto do Porto, César Vasconcellos Navio, as well as the representatives of the Municipalities of Vila Nova de Gaia and Matosinhos.

The young sailors thanked all the support and pledged their commitment: “we are debutants, we will be the youngest ones competing in our class. We will try to do our best”, vouched Pedro Costa, on behalf of the duo.

“Participating in the Olympic Games is what every sportsperson wants to reach. I wish you good luck and fair winds. When you get here, we will be here, whatever the result”, noted Rui Moreira, who was himself a national sailing champion in several classes and represented Portugal in world and European championships.

“We are enthusiastic by the challenge of the Mayor of Porto to collaborate and to provide better conditions to Pedro and Diogo. We will be here waiting for you, for sure with a great score”, affirmed the councillor of the Municipality of Matosinhos. “The Atlantic Front has been supportive of various sporting initiatives. I wish Pedro and Diogo good luck. The most important is to be there and to compete. If there is a victory, the better it is”, added José Guilherme Aguiar, councillor for Vila Nova de Gaia.

Pedro and Diogo Costa start their Olympic competition on the 470 Class on 28 July. “We will have three sailing disciplines, represented at the Olympic Games. I wish you the best of luck. We’ll do the best we can”, stated the President of the Portuguese Sailing Federation, António Holtreman Roquette.