Rio de Janeiro, Jan 29 (IANS) Brazil’s para-sport community was in shock after the sudden death of powerlifter Joseano Felipe.
The Brazilian Paralympic Committee said in a statement on Thursday that Felipe suffered a cardiac arrest. He was 42, reports Xinhua.
Felipe was close to qualifying for his first Paralympic Games after setting a continental record in the +107 kilogram class at this week’s Rio 2016 test event with a lift of 206kg.
The former policeman was left paralysed after being shot in the spine while trying to stop a mass jailbreak in 2000.
Internacional Paralympic Committee president Philip Craven said on Thursday: “I would like to pass on my deepest condolences to the family and friends of Joseano Felipe following his tragic passing.”
“Joseano was a well-liked and popular man on the IPC Powerlifting circuit who was on the cusp of qualifying for the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games.”