Pacavira wants to pave his own path in paddlesport after father’s legacy

For Domingos Pacavira, the water has always been a core part of his life.  

The 20-year-old Angolan grew up just 50 metres from the sea, learning to swim as a young child and spending his days on the beach.  

He would wake at 5am simply to see if his father had already gone training, before sitting at home watching the fishing boats pass by. 

Then, one day, he saw his father rowing. 

That moment sparked a curiosity which would eventually lead Pacavira to a career in a different type of boat.  

“I just believe that it is or was a natural experience because since I was a child I already had a huge passion for the waters,” he said.  

His sporting journey, however, did not begin in a canoe. 

In 2015, Pacavira followed his cousin into sailing and spent four years competing in the Optimist class.  

Success proved elusive, and eventually his teammates suggested that his smaller stature might be better suited to paddlesport. 

He took their advice, and he has never looked back. 

His father has remained an important influence throughout the journey, but Pacavira is keen to make clear that his career is his own. 

“He told me not to do it just because I did but do it because you want it if that's what you really want,” he said. 

“So, I say that my father was just the door and I had the key, so I went ahead without looking back.” 

That attitude has become central to the young Angolan's approach to sport. 

Pacavira has often been asked whether he is following his father's legacy, but he sees his journey differently. 

“I was born wanting to trace my own history,” said Pacavira.  

“I am tracing my own history and doing it with the aim of doing better.” 

Now, as part of the Paddle Worldwide development camp, Pacavira is getting the opportunity to take that journey to another level. 

For Pacavira, the camp has offered far more than a place to train - it has exposed him to a professional sporting environment and given him the chance to learn from coaches and athletes from different backgrounds. 

“The development field has been one of the best opportunities I have had in my career as an athlete,” he said.  

“It has been my new lifestyle teaching me much more than sport, it has been my new home and family.” 

The experience has helped Pacavira develop not only as an athlete, but also in his understanding of what it takes to reach a higher level. 

Away from training, he is a high school accounting student who enjoys learning, working and solving problems.  

He also has a passion for mechanics and spends his free time working on his bicycles. 

Sometimes, he says, he will completely dismantle his bikes and put them back together simply to keep himself occupied. 

It is another reflection of a young athlete who enjoys challenges and learning how things work. 

But whatever direction his life takes away from competition, Pacavira knows where he feels most at home. 

“I love this sport from the heart because it makes me be me and it is considered my safe haven,” he said.  

“In the most difficult and happy moments of my life I'm in the water.”