The 28-year-old Mendes, who has an education in accounting and administration, started playing beach handball for fun with a group of friends back in the days.
“Because of them I won the passion for the competition, for the environment of beach handball,” she recalls. “By winning a few titles with my team, I started to dream bigger and to strive for greater competitions and results.”
Approaching the top of her sport as an up-and-coming talent, Mendes received the ‘Atleta Revelação’ (Revelation Athlete) award in Portuguese handball after her breakthrough 2014/15 season.
While she developed into a prolific indoor player as well, who competed for four straight seasons in the EHF European Cup and Challenge Cup as a centre back with club team Alavarium Love Tiles, playing beach handball still brings the best out of Mendes.
“I am always so excited to play beach handball because it is a show. There is always a good environment, a good mood,” she says. “I am able to do what I love, surrounded by so many different people and it is really interesting to get to know all of the different cultures.”
photos © Axel Heimken, Jozo Cabraja, Uros Hocevar / kolektiff