Luisa Parente was a dominant force on the Brazilian National team
for many years, one of the few gymnasts in the world to compete
in both the 1988 and 1992 Olympic Games. Luisa began gymnastics
in 1980, and was trained by Georgette Vidor Melo at the Flamengo
Club in her hometown of Rio de Jeneiro. Luisa's favorite
apparatus was the uneven bars, an event she won at the 1991 Pan Am
Games.
Although she retired from elite
competition following the 1992 Olympic Games, Luisa
has retained close ties with the gymnastics
community. For awhile she coached at the Flamengo
Club; One of the club's current successes is Danielle Hypolito. Many gym fans will recall that Hypolito was
featured in the November 1998 issue of IG. Luisa now owns (and coaches part-time at)
four Olympic training centers, all named in her
honour (and all featuring gymnastics clothing
stores). Luisa also judges many national competitions
and recently took up commentating - she provided the
commentary for the Brazilian coverage of the 1999 Pan
Am Games.
Luisa lives a full and happy life
outside the gym as well. She recently received her license to
practice law and in 1998, she married Alexey Carvahlo, a
Brazilian national basketball player. The couple welcomed their first child (a
daughter named Manuela) into the world in late 1999.
Update
(June 22, 2000). Luisa was part of the
Brazilian delegation to attend the Gymnastics Challenge 2000 competition in
Mississauga, Canada. There, she was kind enough to pose for my camera! She later
informed me that is the supervisor of Vasco, Marilia Gomes' home
club. Gomes competed at the Gymnastics Challenge 2000 and is an Olympic hopeful.
Parente was born
on February 1st, 1973.
Many thanks to Eugênia Del Vigna and
LaLa for their help with this tribute!
. This page was created on April 4, 1999 and last updated on June 22, 2000.
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