Lars Grael



Lars Schmidt Grael (born February 9, 1964, in São Paulo) is a Brazilian politician and former professional sailor, having won two Olympic bronze medals (in 1988 and 1996).

His brother, Torben Grael, is also a sailor. Together they won the 1983 Snipe World Championship. Another brother, Axel Grael, is the current mayor of Niterói.

Lars is also ten-time Brazilian and five-time South American champion for the Tornado class, in which he also won his medals, eight years apart, in the Seoul and Atlanta Summer Olympics, alongside Clinio Freitas and Henrique Pellicano, respectively.

In September 1998, he had a serious accident in Vitória, Espírito Santo, caused by the negligence of a boat driver that left the boat propeller uncovered, which amputated one of the athlete's legs. Grael then gradually began to take a role to promote the sport in politics.