Fernando Scheffer

{{Infobox swimmer

| name = Fernando Scheffer

| image =

| image_size =

| caption = Scheffer at the 2020 Summer Olympics

| full_name = Fernando Muhlenberg Scheffer

| nicknames = Monet

| nationality = {{BRA}}

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1998|4|6}}

| birth_place =Canoas, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

| death_date =

| death_place =

| height = 1.88 m

| weight = 79 kg

| strokes = Freestyle

| club = Minas Tênis Clube

| collegeteam =

| medaltemplates =

{{MedalCountry|{{BRA}}}}

}}

Fernando Muhlenberg Scheffer (born 6 April 1998) is a Brazilian swimmer.{{cite web |title=CBDA - Perfil de Atleta - FERNANDO MUHLENBERG SCHEFFER |trans-title=CBDA - Athlete's profile - Fernando Muhlenberg Scheffer |work=CBDA |date=2018 |url=http://www.cbda.org.br/cbda/atleta/perfil/registro/124241/fernando-scheffer |access-date=14 December 2018 |language=pt |archive-date=15 December 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181215022908/http://www.cbda.org.br/cbda/atleta/perfil/registro/124241/fernando-scheffer |url-status=dead }} In the 200 metre freestyle, he is the bronze medalist of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, the gold medalist at the 2019 Pan American Games and the South American record holder in the event. He became the world champion and world record holder in the 4x200m freestyle relay at the 2018 World Swimming Championships in short course.

Early life

Scheffer began to gain prominence in the Grêmio Náutico União, and in 2018 he moved to Minas Tênis Clube. His nickname is Monet, due to confusion about a work of art.{{cite web |title=Portrait of Brazil, world champion relay brings together athletes from North to South of the country; see profiles |work=Globoesporte |date=14 December 2018 |url=https://globoesporte.globo.com/natacao/noticia/retrato-do-brasil-revezamento-campeao-mundial-reune-atletas-de-norte-a-sul-do-pais-veja-perfis.ghtml |access-date=14 December 2018 |language=pt}}

International career

=2016–20=

At the 2016 FINA World Swimming Championships (25 m) in Windsor, Ontario, Canada, Scheffer finished 25th in the Men's 200 metre freestyle,{{cite web |title=Results of the 200-metre freestyle at 2016 Windsor |work=OmegaTiming |date=7 December 2016 |url=http://omegatiming.com/File/Download?id=000110000D00000200FFFFFFFFFFFF02 |access-date=14 December 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190726165343/http://omegatiming.com/File/Download?id=000110000D00000200FFFFFFFFFFFF02 |archive-date=26 July 2019 |url-status=dead}} 33rd in the Men's 400 metre freestyle{{cite web |title=Results of the 400-metre freestyle at 2016 Windsor |work=OmegaTiming |date=6 December 2016 |url=http://www.omegatiming.com/File/Download?id=000110000D00000300FFFFFFFFFFFF02 |access-date=14 December 2018}} and 40th in the Men's 100 metre freestyle.{{cite web |title=Results of the 100-metre freestyle at 2016 Windsor |work=OmegaTiming |date=10 December 2016 |url=http://omegatiming.com/File/Download?id=000110000D00000100FFFFFFFFFFFF02 |access-date=14 December 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190726165347/http://omegatiming.com/File/Download?id=000110000D00000100FFFFFFFFFFFF02 |archive-date=26 July 2019 |url-status=dead}}

On 27 April 2018, participating in the Maria Lenk Trophy competition (long course) in Rio de Janeiro, Scheffer broke the South American record in the 200-metre freestyle race in 1:46.08 seconds.{{cite web |title=Men's 200m Freestyle Final Results |url=http://www.cbda.org.br/natacao/resultadoPorProva/prova/898059/fase/f |publisher=CBDA |date=20 April 2018 |access-date=20 April 2018 |archive-date=27 July 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210727132137/https://cbda.org.br/natacao/resultadoPorProva/prova/898059/fase/f |url-status=dead }} Three days later, he broke the South American record in the 400-metre freestyle race in 3:49.06 seconds.{{cite web |title=Men's 400m Freestyle Final Results |url=http://www.cbda.org.br/natacao/resultadoPorProva/prova/898031/fase/f |publisher=CBDA |date=17 April 2018 |access-date=17 April 2018 |archive-date=27 July 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210727130952/https://cbda.org.br/natacao/resultadoPorProva/prova/898031/fase/f |url-status=dead }}

At the 2018 South American Games in Cochabamba, he won two gold medals in the 200m and 4 × 200 m freestyle and a silver medal at the 4 × 100 m freestyle.

At the 2018 Pan Pacific Swimming Championships in Tokyo, Japan, Scheffer made his first major involvement in an international tournament, finishing 4th in the Men's 200 metre freestyle,{{cite web |title=Results of the 200-metre freestyle at 2018 Pan Pacific |work=Seiko |date=9 August 2018 |url=http://swim.seiko.co.jp/en/2018/S80701/ranking/eng09R016.pdf |access-date=14 December 2018}} 4th in the Men's 4 × 200 metre freestyle relay{{cite web |title=Results of the 4x200-metre freestyle at 2018 Pan Pacific |work=Seiko |date=10 August 2018 |url=http://swim.seiko.co.jp/en/2018/S80701/ranking/eng10R041.pdf |access-date=14 December 2018}} and 6th in the Men's 400 metre freestyle.{{cite web |title=Results of the 400-metre freestyle at 2018 Pan Pacific |work=Seiko |date=11 August 2018 |url=http://swim.seiko.co.jp/en/2018/S80701/ranking/eng11R051.pdf |access-date=14 December 2018}}

On 25 August 2018, participating in the José Finkel Trophy competition (short course) in São Paulo, Scheffer broke the South American record in the 400-metre freestyle race in 3:40.87 seconds.{{cite web |title=From supporting to prominence, Fernando Scheffer breaks records and emerges in 2018 |url=https://globoesporte.globo.com/natacao/noticia/de-coadjuvante-a-destaque-fernando-scheffer-bate-recordes-e-desponta-em-2018.ghtml |publisher=Globoesporte |date=25 August 2018 |access-date=14 December 2018}}

At the 2018 FINA World Swimming Championships (25 m) in Hangzhou, China, Fernando Scheffer, along with Luiz Altamir Melo, Leonardo Coelho Santos and Breno Correia, surprised the world by winning the gold medal in the Men's 4 × 200 metre freestyle relay, breaking the world record, with a time of 6:46.81. The relay was composed only of young people between 19 and 23 years and was not favorite to gold.{{cite web |title=Results of the 4×200-metre freestyle at 2018 Hangzhou |work=OmegaTiming |date=14 December 2018 |url=http://www.omegatiming.com/File/Download?id=000112010C0101F804FFFFFFFFFFFF01 |access-date=14 December 2018}}{{cite web |title=Brazil surprises in the 4x200m free relay and wins gold with world record in Hangzhou |work=Globoesporte |date=14 December 2018 |url=https://globoesporte.globo.com/natacao/noticia/brasil-surpreende-no-4x200m-livre-e-leva-o-ouro-com-recorde-mundial-em-hangzhou.ghtml |access-date=14 December 2018 |language=pt}} In the Men's 400 metre freestyle, he broke the South American record at heats, with a time of 3:39.10.{{cite web |title=All the broken records of the day one at the World Championship |work=Best Swim |date=11 December 2018 |url=http://www.bestswim.com.br/2018/12/11/todos-os-recordes-batidos-no-dia-1-do-mundial/ |access-date=14 December 2018 |language=pt}} He finished 8th in the final.{{cite web |title=Results of the 400-metre freestyle at 2018 Hangzhou |work=OmegaTiming |date=11 December 2018 |url=http://omegatiming.com/File/Download?id=000112010C0101EF04FFFFFFFFFFFF01 |access-date=14 December 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181211113403/http://www.omegatiming.com/File/Download?id=000112010C0101EF04FFFFFFFFFFFF01 |archive-date=11 December 2018 |url-status=dead}}

On 21 December 2018, at the Porto Alegre Open in Brazil, he broke the long-course South American record in the 200-metre freestyle with a time of 1:45.51. It was the fourth fastest time in the world in 2018. He broke five South American records in 2018.{{cite web |title=Men's 200m Freestyle Results |url=https://www.cbda.org.br/natacao/resultadoPorProva/prova/940051/fase/f |publisher=CBDA |date=21 December 2018 |access-date=21 December 2018 |archive-date=27 July 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210727131127/https://cbda.org.br/natacao/resultadoPorProva/prova/940051/fase/f |url-status=dead }}{{cite web |title=Brazil, the country of the 200m Freestyle |url=https://sportv.globo.com/site/blogs/blog-do-coach/post/2018/12/21/brasil-o-pais-dos-200-metros-nado-livre.ghtml |publisher=SPORTV |date=21 December 2018 |access-date=25 December 2018}}

At the 2019 World Aquatics Championships in Gwangju, South Korea, Brazil's young 4 × 200 metre freestyle relay team, now with João de Lucca instead of Leonardo Coelho Santos, lowered the South American record in almost 3 seconds, with a time of 7:07.12, at heats.{{cite web |title=Results of the 4 × 200 metre freestyle heats at 2019 Gwangju |url=http://www.omegatiming.com/File/00011301070101F801FFFFFFFFFFFF01.pdf |publisher=Omega Timing |date=26 July 2019 |access-date=28 July 2019}} They finished 7th, with a time of 7:07.64 in the final.{{cite web |title=Results of the 4 × 200 metre freestyle final at 2019 Gwangju |url=http://www.omegatiming.com/File/00011301070101F804FFFFFFFFFFFF01.pdf |publisher=Omega Timing |date=26 July 2019 |access-date=28 July 2019}} It was the first time that Brazil's 4x200m freestyle relay had qualified for a World Championships final. The result qualified Brazil for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.{{cite web |title=Brazilian 4x200m relay broke South American record, goes to the final and guarantees the Olympic vacancy |work=Globoesporte |url=https://globoesporte.globo.com/natacao/noticia/revezamento-4x200m-bate-recorde-sul-americano-vai-a-final-e-garante-vaga-olimpica.ghtml |date=26 July 2019 |access-date=28 July 2019 |language=pt}} In the Men's 200 metre freestyle, he was very close to qualify for the final, finishing 9th, just eight milliseconds from 8th place. He swam near his South American record, finishing 1:45.83 in the semifinals.{{cite web |title=Results of the 200-metre freestyle at 2019 Gwangju |url=http://www.omegatiming.com/File/00011301070101EE02FFFFFFFFFFFF01.pdf |publisher=Omega Timing |date=22 July 2019 |access-date=28 July 2019}}

At the 2019 Pan American Games held in Lima, Peru, Scheffer won two gold medals in the Men's 200 metre freestyle{{Cite web |url=https://wrsd.lima2019.pe/PAG2019/resPAG2019/pdf/PAG2019/SWM/PAG2019_SWM_C74A_SWMM200MFR------------FNL---------.pdf |title=Men's 200m Freestyle - A Final |access-date=11 August 2019 |archive-date=8 August 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190808015517/https://wrsd.lima2019.pe/PAG2019/resPAG2019/pdf/PAG2019/SWM/PAG2019_SWM_C74A_SWMM200MFR------------FNL---------.pdf |url-status=dead }} and in the Men's 4 × 200 metre freestyle relay,{{Cite web |url=https://wrsd.lima2019.pe/PAG2019/resPAG2019/pdf/PAG2019/SWM/PAG2019_SWM_C73B1_SWMM4X200MFR----------FNL-000100--.pdf |title=Men's 4 × 200 metre freestyle relay Final |access-date=11 August 2019 |archive-date=10 August 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190810032326/https://wrsd.lima2019.pe/PAG2019/resPAG2019/pdf/PAG2019/SWM/PAG2019_SWM_C73B1_SWMM4X200MFR----------FNL-000100--.pdf |url-status=dead }} breaking the Pan American Games record in the relay. He also won the silver medal in the Men's 400 metre freestyle.{{Cite web |url=https://wrsd.lima2019.pe/PAG2019/resPAG2019/pdf/PAG2019/SWM/PAG2019_SWM_C74A_SWMM400MFR------------FNL---------.pdf |title=Men's 400m Freestyle - A Final |access-date=11 August 2019 |archive-date=7 August 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190807020333/https://wrsd.lima2019.pe/PAG2019/resPAG2019/pdf/PAG2019/SWM/PAG2019_SWM_C74A_SWMM400MFR------------FNL---------.pdf |url-status=dead }}

=2020 Summer Olympics=

At the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Scheffer broke the South American record in the Men's 200 metre freestyle heats, with a time of 1:45.05, ranking 2nd for the semifinal. [https://ge.globo.com/olimpiadas/noticia/fernando-scheffer-passa-para-a-semifinal-dos-200m-livre-na-natacao.ghtml Revezamento 4x100m livre está na final na natação; Scheffer e Guido avançam às semis] After qualifying with the last place in the semifinals, Scheffer outperformed himself again in the final, beating his South American record again by a wide margin, with a time of 1:44.66, obtaining the bronze medal, repeating the feat of Gustavo Borges, the last Brazilian to obtain an Olympic medal in this event. Scheffer lowered the South American record by almost 1 second at the Olympics to win the medal. [https://www.uol.com.br/esporte/olimpiadas/ultimas-noticias/2021/07/26/fernando-scheffer.htm Fernando Scheffer surpreende e leva o bronze nos 200m livre nas Olimpíadas]

=2021–24=

At the 2021 FINA World Swimming Championships (25 m) in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, in the Men's 4 × 200 metre freestyle relay, the Brazilian relay, composed by Scheffer, Murilo Sartori, Kaique Alves and Breno Correia, again obtained a medal, now bronze, maintaining the good performance of 2018, when Brazil won the gold beating the world record.{{cite web |title=Results of the 4 × 200 metre freestyle relay at 2021 Abu Dhabi |work=OmegaTiming |date=19 December 2021 |url=https://www.omegatiming.com/File/00011500190101F80104FFFFFFFFFF01.pdf |access-date=20 December 2021}}{{cite web |title=Swimming World Cup: Bronze consolidates Brazilian 4x200m in the elite and gives hope to Paris 2024 |work=GloboEsporte |date=19 December 2021 |url=https://ge.globo.com/natacao/noticia/mundial-de-natacao-bronze-consolida-4x200m-brasileiro-na-elite-e-da-esperanca-para-paris-2024.ghtml |access-date=20 December 2021}}{{cite web |title=U.S. Men Break American Record in 4×200 Free Relay, Narrowly Miss World Record |work=SwimSwam |date=19 December 2021 |url=https://swimswam.com/u-s-men-break-american-record-in-4x200-free-relay-narrowly-miss-world-record/ |access-date=20 December 2021}} He also finished 7th in the Men's 200 metre freestyle.{{cite web |title=Results of the 200 metre freestyle at 2021 Abu Dhabi |work=OmegaTiming |date=17 December 2021 |url=https://www.omegatiming.com/File/00011500190101EE0104FFFFFFFFFF01.pdf |access-date=20 December 2021}}

At the 2022 World Aquatics Championships held in Budapest, Hungary, he did not have a good run in the Men's 200 metre freestyle, finishing in 9th place with a time of 1:46.11.[https://www.gazetaesportiva.com/mais-esportes/natacao/nicholas-santos-fica-com-a-prata-no-mundial-de-natacao-scheffer-fica-na-semi/ Nicholas Santos ganha prata no Mundial de natação, e Scheffer fica na semifinal] He recovered in the Men's 4 × 200 metre freestyle relay event, composed by Scheffer, Vinicius Assunção, Murilo Sartori and Breno Correia, where the Brazilian team beat the South American record twice in a row, in the heats, and the finals, reaching a time of 7:04.69 and obtaining an unprecedented fourth place in the long-distance World Championships. The Brazilian team just didn't get a medal because of the exceptional performance of Tom Dean when closing the British relay.[https://swimswam.com/brazil-sets-south-american-record-in-mens-4x200-fr-korea-breaks-national-record/ Brazil Sets South American Record in Men’s 4×200 FR; Korea Breaks National Record]

On 16 September 2022, at the José Finkel Trophy in Recife, he broke the short course South American record in the 200-metre freestyle, with a time of 1:41.32.[https://noticias.uol.com.br/ultimas-noticias/agencia-brasil/2022/09/16/fernando-scheffer-bate-recorde-sul-americano-nos-200-metros-livre.htm Fernando Scheffer bate recorde sul-americano nos 200 metros livre]

He did not attend the 2022 FINA World Swimming Championships (25 m) in Melbourne, Australia. Despite having an index for the competition, he opted to ask for a waiver to focus on next year's competitions. [https://swimchannel.net/br/fernando-scheffer-pede-desconvocacao-do-mundial-de-curta-brasil-vai-com-12-para-melbourne/ Fernando Scheffer pede desconvocação do Mundial de Curta, Brasil vai com 12 para Melbourne]