Diego Hypólito

Diego Matias Hypólito (Brazilian Portuguese: [dʒiˈeɡu iˈpɔlitu]; born 19 June 1986) is a Brazilian gymnast, the 2005 and 2007 World Champion in the floor exercise. He is the first male gymnast from Brazil, and South America, to win a medal at the World Championships. He also won 63 medals in the World Cup. Hypólito has represented Brazil at the 2008, 2012, and 2016 Olympic Games. He received the silver medal in floor exercise at the 2016 Olympic Games.

He is the brother of Daniele Hypólito, the first Brazilian gymnast to win a medal at the World Championships.

Early life

Hypólito was born in Santo André, São Paulo, but moved to the city of Rio de Janeiro. He is the son of a bus driver, Wagner Hypólito, and a seamstress, Geni Matias. He has Greek ancestry through his father (the surname Hypólito comes from the Greek surname Hippolyte, which was translated when his ancestors had immigrated to Brazil); he is also of Portuguese descent, through his mother.

As a child, he had his first contact with the sport at the Flamengo Rowing Club, the same one his sister, Daniele, used to train. At her insistence, he specialized in solo exercises, in which he won his first titles as infantil and later as júnior.

Career

Hypólito began gymnastics at age seven, following in his older sister's footsteps. He won the floor exercise event in the children's division at 1997's Brazilian National Championships and was 2001's all-around junior national champion.