Luisa Borges was born in Brazil, and is currently a national swimming assistant for the Brazil team. Luisa has trained in both the swimming disciplines both men’s and women’s. She also holds national titles in synchronized swimming, both the breaststroke and freestyle. Luisa is married to Carlos Costa, who holds the world record for total diving accomplishments in both men’s and women’s programs.
Partnering with Luisa, Borges has been trying to adjust her physical size to be able to compete in high-level tournaments at her age and height. When considering this, she is disappointed with the results. “The problem is that I’m not tall enough to go above 50% in the competition. It’s very frustrating because I am always excited about being on the water, and then I am frustrated because I am not as effective as I want to be.” However, she understands that people who are motivated enough can overcome obstacles. Her strategy now is to add more size, strength and muscle to her frame, in order to improve her performance both in the water and in her routines off the water.
While she is committed to her fitness regimen, she is not too concerned about adding extra weight, which can be quite detrimental to her health if done incorrectly. “I think that the biggest advantage of me becoming slim is that it gives me more opportunities to dive. I love swimming, but when I’m underwater, all my focus is on getting out of the water because I am so short.” Being able to dive with her partners gives her the opportunity to work with them as a team, and with good support from the coach, to learn how to maximize her performance. “I will definitely continue to work on my diving if I can do it safely and effectively, but right now, I need help in other areas.”