Maria Guimarães
Maria Elisa Guimarães Zanini is a former international freestyle swimmer from Brazil, who participated in a Summer Olympics for her native country.
At 15 years old, she participated at the inaugural World Aquatics Championships in 1973 Belgrade, where she finished 10th in the 400-metre freestyle, 12th in the 800-metre freestyle, and 15th in the 200-metre freestyle.
She was at the 1975 World Aquatics Championships in Cali. In the 800-metre freestyle, she finished 17th, with a time of 9:34.48, far from her personal best at this moment, the South American record. In the 400-metre freestyle, she finished 17th, with a time of 4:34.89, far from her South American record.
She was at the 1975 Pan American Games, in Mexico City, where she won the bronze medal in the 4×100-metre freestyle. She also finished 5th in the 200-metre freestyle, 5th in the 400-metre freestyle, and 6th in the 800-metre freestyle.
At the 1976 Summer Olympics, in Montreal, she swam the 400-metre and 800-metre freestyle, not reaching the finals.
Participated at the 1978 World Aquatics Championships in West Berlin, where she finished 19th in the 200-metre freestyle, and 34th in the 100-metre freestyle.
She was at the 1979 Pan American Games, in San Juan, where she finished 5th in the 4×100-metre freestyle, 5th in the 4×100-metre medley, 6th in the 200-metre freestyle, and 14th in the 100-metre freestyle.
She broke the South American record of all freestyle races. She was the first woman from South America to break the one-minute barrier in the 100-metre freestyle.