News Details

The INR I.P. expresses the most heartfelt and sincere condolences to the bereaved family, friends and teammates and training.

Nuno Alpiarça, who was coach and guide athlete of Paralympic champion Carlos Lopes, died yesterday, April 30 in Lisbon, victim of sudden illness, reported the Portuguese Athletics Federation.

Alpiarça, 53, died shortly before starting a training course for Luís Gonçalves, another of the world-class Paralympic athletes he has mentored for more than 20 years.

Former athlete of Sporting, where he competed in barriers and 400 meters, was teacher of Physical Education and coach of athletics adapted of high performance of the visual area, having previously been, in Sporting, technician of speed and barriers.

Coming from Belenenses, he arrived at Sporting at the end of 1991, to integrate the team in the disciplines of barriers and prolonged speed. As an athlete, he was in the climb to Group A of the European Champions Cup in the 1996 season, running the 400 meters hurdles and the relay of the 4x400 meters.

In 1999 he became coach of the 'lions' and specialized in training and running as a guide athlete for Paralympic athletes, achieving the greatest successes with Carlos Lopes, with whom he was Paralympic champion in 2000 and 2004, as well as a series of other medals in World and European.