Edmilsa Governo

Governo on TV Surdo Mozambique in 2017
Personal information
Born	(1998-02-28) 28 February 1998 (age 25) Maputo, Mozambique
Sport
Sport	Athletics
Disability class	T12, T13
Achievements and titles
Paralympic finals	2016, 2020
Medal record Para-athletics Representing  Mozambique African Games 2015 Brazzaville 200 m T12 IPC Athletics World Championships 2015 Doha 400 m T12 Paralympic Games 2016 Rio de Janeiro 400 m T12

Edmilsa Governo (born 28 February 1998)^[1] is a Mozambican athlete, who won a bronze medal in the women's 400 metres T12 event at the 2016 Summer Paralympics. She also won a gold medal in the 200 metres T12 event at the 2015 African Games, and a bronze medal in the 400 metres T12 event at the 2015 IPC Athletics World Championships.

Personal life

Governo was born on 28 February 1998 in Maputo, Mozambique.^[1] She started racing at the age of 8.^[2] Governo has cited fellow Mozambican athlete Maria Mutola, who competed at six Olympic Games as an inspiration.^[3]

Career

In 2015, Governo won the 200 metres T12 event at the 2015 African Games,^[2] and came third in the 400 metres T12 race at the 2015 IPC Athletics World Championships in Doha, Qatar.^[2][3] In 2016, she won the 200 metres T12 event at the IPC Athletics Grand Prix in Tunis, Tunisia.^[4]

At the age of 18,^[2] Governo competed at the 2016 Summer Paralympics. She was the only Mozambican athlete at the Games,^[5] and as such was the country's flag bearer at the Parade of Nations.^[6] She competed in the women's 100 metres T12 and 400 metres T12 races.^[5] In the semi-finals of the 400 metres T12 event, she set an African continental record time of 54.99 seconds.^[7] Her time was the third quickest time of the round.^[8] In the final, Governo broke the African continental record again, finishing third in a time of 53.89 seconds.^[3][7] She lost to Ukrainian Oksana Boturchuk in a sprint finish; Boturshuk finished second in the race.^[9] Governo was Mozambique's first medalist at a Paralympic Games.^[7] In the 100 metres T12 event, Governo came third in her semi-final, in a national record time of 12.35.^[10] She did not qualify for the final.^[10] In 2017, Governo failed to qualify for the 2017 World Para Athletics Championships in London.^[3]

Governo and Hilario Chavela were Mozambique's flag bearers at the 2020 Summer Paralympics Parade of Nations.^[11] At the delayed Games, she came last in her heat in the 100 metres T13 event.^[12] She won her 400 metres T13 heat in an African record time of 55.50 seconds,^[13] and finished fifth in the final.^[14]

Honours

In 2015, Governo was named Mozambique's female sportsperson of the year, at the country's Gala Nacional do Desporto (National Sports Gala).^[15]