The Gold Medal at the 2003 Laser World Championships ranks as the pinnacle of Gustavo's sailing career to date. He opened the series clearly as he meant to go on taking the gun in both races to lead overall, a position he held through until the end to claim the Gold Medal ahead of six times World Champion Robert Scheidt (BRA). Gustavo demonstrated a fantastic display of sailing and skill, completing a series with all his results in the top ten, including five bullets, which alongside the World Championship title qualified Portugal for the 2004 Olympic Regatta.

Leading up to the Worlds, Gustavo had focused on the European circuit, with his best result at a Grade 1 event being his tenth at SPA Regatta.

The Achievement of Gustavo Lima

27th - Laser World Championship, September 2002 - Grade W
4th - IX Barcelona Olympic Sailing Week, April 2003 - Grade 2
23rd - Semaine Olympique Francaise, May 2003 - Grade 1
10th - SPA Regatta, May 2003 - Grade 1
11th - Kieler Woche, June 2003 - Grade 1
1st - Matosinhos Sailing Cup, July 2003 - Grade 3
6th - Athens Regatta, August 2003 - Ungraded
13th - Laser European Championship, August 2003 - Grade 1
1st - 2003 ISAF World Championship - Laser, September 2003 - Grade W

ISAF World Sailing Ranking - Single-Handed Dinghy Open - Laser (1 October 2003) = 10

Name	Gustavo Lima
Date of Birth	28337
Place of Birth	Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Profession	Sailor
ISAF Sailor ID	PORGL1
Age started sailing	9
First boat sailed	Optimist
Age started racing	10
First boat raced	Optimist
What inspired you to take up sailing?	Freedom
How did you buy your first boat?	With my father's money
Which was your first sailing club?	Club Naval de Cascais
First Event competed in and Year	Trofeo Patrao Lopes in 1987
First Event won and Year	Torneio Cenovra in 1988
Principle achievements	5th at the Optimist Worlds 1991
Principle achievements	Bronze medal at the Volvo Youth Sailing ISAF World Championship 1998
Principle achievements	Laser Radial European Champion 1994
Principle achievements	Laser Radial World Champion 1998
Principle achievements	6th Olympics 2000
Principle achievements	2nd Laser World Championship 2001
Principle achievements	Laser World Champion 2003
Principle achievements	4th Europeans 2002
What are your future sailing aspirations?	To win an Olympic medal in Athens 2004 and be World Champion in 2004
Briefly state what sailing means to you	To me sailing means everything
Who has had the greatest impact or inspiration in your sailing career and why?	My family, my friends, my new coach Xavi - because without them all my results were impossible to achieve.
Who do you consider to be your sailing hero?	Robert SCHEIDT (BRA)
What other sports do you participate in outside of sailing?	Windsurfing, karting and soccer
Who do you consider to be the greatest sailor in the World and why?	Torben GRAEL (BRA) he has the biggest feeling
Briefly state what being nominated for the ISAF Rolex World Sailor of the Year Award 2003 means to you	It's a great moment of my career, being recognised by ISAF and international members has given me one of the happiest moments of my life
If voted as the ISAF Rolex World Sailor of the Year 2003, briefly say what will this mean to you?	For sure it must be a feeling that I may be cannot express, because I have never won that prize.