New Delhi, Oct 1: Under the lights of the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Brazil’s Thalita Vitoria Simplicio da Silva delivered yet another masterclass in the women’s T11 400m, storming to her fourth consecutive gold medal at the IndianOil New Delhi 2025 World Para Athletics Championships.
For Thalita, though, this victory was about far more than speed-it was a deeply personal triumph.
A decorated champion in T11 400m history
The Brazilian sprinter has now become the most decorated T11 400m runner in World Para Athletics history, winning titles in 2019, 2023, 2024, and 2025. She also holds two silver medals in the T11 200m and bronzes in both the 200m and 400m. At the Paralympic Games, she has added three silvers (200m, 400m, 4x100m relay) to her collection. These accomplishments firmly place her among the greatest athletes the event has ever produced.
A victory born out of struggle
“This year has been mentally very difficult. Only God and the people closest to me know how much I have struggled. This medal is not just a medal-it reflects my character, my personality, and it carries the weight of all the experiences I have endured.”
At just 26, Thalita has already established herself as a cornerstone of Brazilian Paralympic sport. But behind the medals lies a journey marked by exhaustion and the crushing burden of expectation.
“Many times I felt like I had lost control. Life felt messy, and I kept pushing myself without pause. Honestly, I needed a break-but athletes rarely give themselves that chance. Now, after this win, I won’t demand more from myself than I can give. This medal tells me I can finally breathe again.”
Looking ahead to Los Angeles 2028
For Thalita, New Delhi was more than the continuation of her dominance-it was the start of a new cycle. With Los Angeles 2028 Paralympic Games in sight, she hopes to use this victory as a turning point.
“I have time until 2028 to put everything in order-grow as a person, improve as a professional. I want balance. That’s what this medal means: it’s not just proof of performance, it’s proof that I can rebuild myself.”
The charisma beyond the medals
True to her vibrant personality, Thalita also brought her sense of humour to the championships. With her trademark golden hair, she laughed about the quirky inspiration behind her look.
“I recently went back to ballet, and I regretted not borrowing some props. So I had to improvise and create a look of my own. The real challenge now is getting rid of it-yesterday it took me ages to untangle my hair, and I hadn’t even washed it! Today, honestly, only Jesus was with me in that battle.”
With her fourth successive T11 400m gold medal, Thalita Simplicio has cemented her place in history-not only as a champion of the track but as an athlete who embodies resilience, openness, and the power to rebuild herself.