Eyeing the podium: Heitor Carrulo
By Helena Petry and Mariana Sá - in"Flamengo is my home." That's how Flamengo's Heitor Carrulo defines the club where he spent much of his life. At 30, the water polo player grew up in the pools of Gávea, played for different teams, and returned to his favorite team to achieve his goals. The center-back wants to complete his collection of national titles with the "Mais Querido" (Most Beloved): he still needs to win the Senior category. He also aims to participate in his first Pan-American Games and is very close to achieving that. Heitor is currently part of the group of 20 athletes called up to the Brazilian National Team for the sport. By the Lima Games, which begin at the end of July, nine players will be cut, and the Flamengo player is fighting to represent the country in the year's main competition.
One of the most experienced players on the Flamengo team, Heitor is a role model for the younger players and understands the responsibility. He sees it as his role to hold the "kids" accountable, show them the right path, be a role model and a big brother. According to the athlete, water polo is like a family.
In the series "Eye on the Podium," Flamengo's official website tells the stories of some of the club's and Brazil's top athletes, covering their personal lives, careers, and, of course, their favorite. Learn more about those who make Flamengo and Brazil's Olympic sports stronger.
The beginning of water polo
I started when I was 10 years old. Today I'm 30, so I've been in the sport for twenty years. I got into it because I was a chubby kid and was starting to have high blood pressure problems. My cousin was already doing it, so I started playing, joined the school, and started enjoying it. I realized I was good at it and have continued to this day.
Hector's career
I started playing water polo at Botafogo. My coach was Solon Santos. After two years, he was fired and came here, so I came with him. I stayed at Flamengo for six, seven years straight. We managed to win every youth championship possible with my coach as my mentor—him and Paulinho Castro. Then I went to Fluminense and took two years off, then another three at Paulistano before returning to Flamengo. I'll be two years since my return.
Two years of hiatus
I lost faith in the sport. I was being cut from the national team all the time. As a kid, I didn't have the patience I have today, knowing that things take time, especially on the senior team. When the junior team finishes, you can only join the senior team, and there are a lot of good players. I didn't value just being called up; I wanted to be in. But this time off made me change my mindset. I was called up to Paulistano and stayed in São Paulo for three years. There, I changed a lot, I matured because I was in a different city, because I had a different coach, a different system. Today I see that my mindset is much better for enduring training, not rushing, and letting things flow as they come. If you train hard, it will happen eventually.
Return to Flamengo
I was already going back to Rio, as I had a three-year contract with Paulistano, and it was almost up. Not that I wanted to stay, but I kept my word. The guys wanted me to stay longer, and I left the door open there because it's a very good group. I always try to give my best and never close doors, to give my all no matter what. But Flamengo is my home. It's where I won most of my titles, where I formed my character with my coaches. Everything I have today, how I consider myself as a man and as a person, I owe to them, whom I consider my parents. They were always in the water, in the pool, teaching me character, instilling values in me... They were real teachers, not just coaches. They weren't just those guys on the sidelines talking to you from the water, this and that. They talk about life and how to behave in your life as a man, as a son, a father, a brother, as anything. They were my teachers, they instilled in me very strong and profound values that I try to pass on to the younger ones around me.
Most memorable moment at Flamengo
The most memorable was our third-place finish in the National League, in the first one, when I was 18, before leaving the club. The team was made up entirely of U-20 kids and had two older guys. We managed to finish third in the main league, with the other teams consisting entirely of adults. That was a special moment for me because it was an achievement for Flamengo's youth academy, who were raised here. That title was very important to me. And now, as the oldest member of my group, I aim to be an adult champion for Mais Querido alongside these kids from here, who are from the youth academy and raised at the club.
That's my main goal: to be a champion with Flamengo in an adult league. It's been my biggest goal since I arrived here, because I played in the adult league since I was 14, 16, and we reached the finals, but always finished second. I've never been an adult champion here, and I miss that. I was a champion in the Infanto, Juvenile, Junior, U-20, U-21 categories… we won it all! Many times. But we haven't reached the top yet, and that's what I'm missing. Even to honor the guys who helped me, I want this title.
Routine
On Monday, which is gym day, I arrive at 9 a.m. to work out, hit the water around noon, come home, rest, return at 19 p.m. for my evening workout, and leave at 22 p.m. The next day, instead of physical training, I have college (Heitor is studying Physical Education) in the morning, and the afternoon is the same. I go like this all week.
Biggest difficulties for a high-performance athlete
The uncertainty. I think that's the biggest challenge: never knowing when it's going to work out, or if it's going to work out. You give it your all, and sometimes it doesn't work out. It could be an injury, if you don't have sponsorship, if you don't have support... I think high-performance athletes are practically amateurs, because in Olympic sports, few have full support, and everyone in any federation knows that. I think it's the uncertainty, because if you don't pursue something beyond sport, you can seriously harm yourself and become frustrated.
Main competitions of the year
For the national team, I'm in the group of 13 athletes going to the World Cup. There will still be another cut for the Pan American Games, because according to the new rule, both the Olympics and the Pan American Games will have only 11 athletes. I fought to be among the 13, and then I'll fight to be among the 11. These are my goals for this year, in addition to the National League in December.
Preparation for the World and Pan-American Games
I've changed my personal preparation a lot because I train a lot more. Since last year, I've been trying to do as much training as possible, perfecting my swimming and physical fitness, since international competition is much more difficult. Here in Brazil, you have few matches and usually only start to pick up the pace halfway through the championship. Before you know it, it's already over. I hired a special physical trainer for the swimming part of the competition, which I do extra. I'm the product of my work; I have to do it, otherwise I'll lose in whatever I do. We beat the United States at the beginning of the year in the UANA Cup, and we beat our two main rivals at the Pan American Games, Canada in the semifinals and the USA in the final. The hope of being Pan American champion is huge because of this. We saw that it's possible to win, and we're working towards it. Everyone is definitely putting in much more effort in training after this victory; the team is investing.
After the Brazil Open, we'll go to the United States and train there for another week, then another week in Korea, where the World Championships will be held. After the World Championships, there's the Pan American Games, and if we win the Pan American Games, we're in the Olympics. It's the shortest path to the Games. So we're committed to this championship.
Family and personal life
I'm not married and I don't have children yet. I haven't had the blessing of having children or a wife. Not yet (laughs). I have plenty of siblings, four. I share a room with a kid who trains with me, and I moved to Copacabana to be closer to the club, to be able to train more and not get so tired. I lived in Ramos with my parents, so it was difficult. I can't complain because there are people who travel much further, sleep much less, work much more, earn even less, and have a much more difficult life than mine. I do what I love and come here with great pleasure, spending the day at the club. It's just that, to improve your performance, you have to do something, give up others. I ended a ten-year relationship because of this. I was at the peak of my career, and someone kept asking when I was going to stop. I said I didn't know; you never know when you're going to stop. Sometimes they stop you, right, but you always think you'll keep going. I gave up that and the comfort of living with my parents for my dream, betting everything. That's why I said uncertainty is the worst part. You can give up everything and "it's over, it's over, life goes on and you train more."
Idol in sports
I have many idols. First are my coaches, like Solon and Paulinho de Castro. I also have athletes here who train with me, like Kiko Perrone, a world medalist, a monster. It's impossible not to be like him, you stand next to him, and he's the guy you see on TV. He's my idol and he's right there by my side. He left Brazil, managed to earn a living abroad, and now he works, has children, and has made this transition. I consider these guys my idols because they weren't just athletes; they have such great values. He's an athlete, a father, knows how to balance everything, and sets an example for the younger ones.
That's what I'm trying to do today, what I aspire to be in a few years. Now I know I'm not at that level yet, but I see I can get there. If you have someone close to you, you have to mirror them. That's what I try to show the kids. Not just with words, but with actions. Everything you do, they respond. A young kid, if you do something stupid, in two days he's there doing the same thing. That's what I say... I always carry a book with me because I love reading. I stop and read among them. Then they ask me what I'm reading. I tell them it's good for working your mind, there are several excerpts, several books that show you ways to control yourself, even from great athletes, so you can follow their example and everything. These are the examples we try to set, that effort gets you somewhere. If you do half-assed things, you'll become average, you don't need to do anything, and you'll be mediocre. Being mediocre is being average, doing what everyone else does, not needing to put in the effort. The guy who wants something has to do that extra something. Will it hurt? Yes. Will it suffer? Yes. You'll have to give it up. This is a choice, so you have to know if you want it. You can't be in doubt. Go for it. And that's what I did, I made a decision. It's painful, it's painful, but it has to be done.
Hobbies
Drinking coffee and reading books, that's my hobby. And it's not just any coffee shop, I go, I choose the coffee, the beans I'm going to grind, I have several different machines to enjoy a cup of coffee and read my book. Lots of books, all kinds of things.
A book that marked your life
First, the Bible, for sure. I read it every day. There are certain passages that I can't help but remember; I believe God is always speaking to me. Another book I'm reading now has had an impact on me from the start. It's called "Character." It talks about this entirely, how you'll influence someone else's life, what actions you take. You're responsible for being an example to others. I'm terrified because there are a lot of kids modeling themselves after me, and with any mistake, you can change someone's life. So you have to be very careful with what you do and what you say. If you're inconsistent, they see it. If you say you're going to train hard, you have to be the first one there. If you talk about punctuality, you have to be the first one at the pool. I'm the guy who arrives half an hour early for practice. Always. To wait for the boys, so they see me there. This creates a habit. They know that if they're late, they'll be punished. I hold them all accountable, no matter what. Soon they'll be in my place, and you'll create a group that leads each other, a never-ending cycle. It was like that in my day, with adults setting an example for us. It's important to have a role model, someone who tells you something, gives you a nudge.
Do you follow any other sport besides yours?
Very lightly. I hardly watch TV anymore; I think it's a waste of time. I only tune in to watch sports. I think basketball is cool, the NBA, etc. I don't know much about soccer, but Flamengo playing is a whole other story. I follow the club, and it's different. The national team? I don't watch it, I watch Flamengo games. My whole family is red-and-black; there's no one from any other team. I don't have a uniform because I give everything I've given in past seasons. So, I only follow Flamengo. There's no way around it. We live here, I interact with athletes from other sports, we know what it's like to be a Flamengo fan and an athlete. You know the suffering a guy goes through daily to get results. How can you not root for someone like that? They live the same reality as you; they're your teammates. I went to the volleyball games I could go to, for example. It's a family. I say that the polo team is a "family," made up of the older and the younger ones. I tell them: "I'm your older brother, I'm annoying." It really has to be.
If you weren't an athlete, would you be…?
Teacher for sure. Or military.
What do you do in your free time?
I read. I read, I study. I try to improve my intellect. And I also go out with the kids from time to time, trying to do something outside of here. This creates an important bond, keeps the team united. Then we truly have a family.
Technical sheet
Name: Heitor Carrulo
Age: 30 years
Height: 1,85m
Place of Birth: Rio de Janeiro, RJ
Main achievements: The UANA Cup and South American Championship titles with the Brazilian National Team