Irina Rodrigues is a doctor at the Hospital de Santo Espírito da Ilha Terceira (HSEIT). An unforgettable experience awaits her in the coming weeks. In the discus throw, she will represent Portugal at the Olympic Games in Paris.
The games start today in the French capital and run until August 11. The HSEIT has already issued a message of support expressing “pride, hope and encouragement.”
“The dedication, humility and talent of the current national record holder, with 66.60 meters achieved last March, are a source of inspiration for everyone,” it said.
For 33-year-old Irina Rodrigues, the competition starts on the second of next month. “We’re all rooting for you, confident that you’ll represent Portugal with honor and that you’ll never stop trying, as you always do, to outdo yourself in the results you achieve,” says the HSEIT.
In March of this year, the Olympic athlete, trained by Júlio Cirino da Rocha, achieved the national record in the discus throw at the European Throwing Cup, held in Leiria, with a mark of 66.60 meters. The result made her the world leader of the year in the discipline.

Irina Rodrigues is the national record holder in all categories (under-18, under-20, under-23 and absolute).

“The best decision I made in my career was to move to the Azores, to Terceira, so that I could work and train with my coach, Júlio Cirino, in person. I hadn’t broken the national record for eight years and I hadn’t even dreamed of it, but my coach always said ‘sow, daughter, sow and you will reap’. It was the best fruit I could have reaped,” she said at the time, in statements published on the Portuguese Athletics Federation’s website.
“I managed to work as a doctor, qualify for the Olympic Games and break the national record. This is the result of a lot of commitment and daily discipline,” she added.
Last month, the individual athlete affiliated with the Terceira Island Athletics Association came fourth in the European Athletics Championships.
“This is my best season ever. I’m very happy and I owe it to my coach, the move to Terceira Island and my work colleagues at Hospital Santo Espírito da Ilha Terceira,” she said.

in Diário Insular-José Lourenço, director.

Translated to English as a community outreach program from the Portuguese Beyond Borders Institute (PBBI) and the Modern and Classical Languages and Literatures Department (MCLL) as part of Bruma Publication and ADMA (Azores-Diaspora Media Alliance) at California State University, Fresno, PBBI thanks Luso Financial for sponsoring NOVIDADES.