Brazil’s first gold medalist of the 2016 Summer Olympic Games opened up about her girlfriend for the first time in an interview with Globo Sports.
On Monday, judoka Rafaela Silva swept the competition in the women’s 57k (125 pounds) tournament. Her nearly flawless performance in all five matches easily won her the gold.
Two days after her victory, however, Silva is making headlines once again after she discussed her relationship with girlfriend Thamara Cezar in the Globo interview.
Rafaela Silva (right) and her girlfriend, Thamara Cezar.
The 24-year-old, who grew up in Rio de Janeiro’s crime-ridden Cidade de Deus favela, described Cezar, who is currently a student, as a domestic type who cooks, cleans and takes care of the couple’s three dogs. She’s also responsible for arranging Silva’s interviews.
“I don’t know how to do anything ― just how to fight,” she said. Their pets and her studies, Silva said, required Cezar to stay behind when her training schedule required her to travel. “She’s not able to travel as much, and we also have three dogs in the house, so it’s complicated.”
Silva, who did not use the words “lesbian,” “gay” or “bisexual” in the interview, added, “She was there day-to-day and knew what I was going through, when I was tired and when I wasn’t. Everything I needed, she was there for me ― so she’s also very important for this victory.”
The athlete also wanted to make it clear that the interview was not a coming out in any way. Photos of the couple are in abundance on her Instagram page.
“We don’t speak about that because there’s no reason,” she said. “It’s something natural.”
Translations provided by The Huffington Post.