Bibiana is a dynamic and restless woman, always in search of new challenges and projects that motivate people to lead healthier, more active, and happier lives. Passionate about entrepreneurship and sports since childhood, she started in sports at the age of 4 with BMX and explored various disciplines, including competitive swimming. With a background in Communication, Business Management, and Marketing, Bibiana combined her passions by pursuing a master’s degree in Sports Management in Portugal, where she also worked in software sales.
After completing her master’s, she discovered her true passion by becoming a triathlon coach. During the pandemic, she expanded her qualifications as a Personal Trainer, offering online and gym training sessions. Always seeking more, she began giving open water swimming lessons and studied to become a swimming coach, aiming to continue inspiring and motivating people through sports.
Additionally, Bibiana ventured into entrepreneurship by founding Swim4Fun, a school that, besides practical swimming lessons, organizes lectures, events, and workshops on various topics such as safety, nutrition, and breathing.
What inspired you to start your open water swimming school, Swim4Fun?
My motivation is to combine swimming (one of the most complete sports) with the pleasure of being in nature safely. That’s why Swim4Fun is a school both in theory and practice. Besides practical swimming lessons, we also organize lectures, events, and workshops on various topics such as safety, nutrition, and breathing.
At Swim4Fun, we have swimmers with competition goals as well as people who want to learn to swim, overcome their fear of deep water, or simply have fun. What inspires me is providing opportunities for more people to discover a new passion, a new way to relieve stress through sports and social interaction, and to enjoy unique moments.
What motivated you to collaborate with Women’s + to offer open water swimming training for women?
The W+ project is beautiful and aligns perfectly with Swim4Fun’s mission: to motivate people, in this case women, to step out of their comfort zone through an inclusive community that combines sports with fun. In my view, the more women discover the joy of swimming in open water, the better.
Can you share more details about the training pack we are launching together? What can participants expect?
Women can expect a comprehensive environment with swimming training to improve and adapt their techniques, guidance, and breathing according to sea conditions. They will also have specific training for competition moments, such as entries, exits, buoy turns, and contact situations. Additionally, there will be exercises to help develop strength, warm-up routines, and mobility exercises. Beyond the training, participants will enjoy socializing with different women, sharing stories, and receiving small treats.
How can open water swimming help women develop self-confidence and overcome their fears?
Open water swimming is a challenging and beautiful sport. There are many variables we cannot control, such as water temperature, the appearance of animals, currents, wind, and waves. However, by overcoming these challenges, our self-confidence becomes significantly stronger. Open water swimming is a complete activity for the body, mind, and soul. Besides developing and activating the body’s muscles, we work on breathing and controlling our thoughts. It is incredibly rewarding to see the smiles on people’s faces as they conquer their fears and enjoy new sensations.
What are the biggest barriers you see women facing when it comes to starting open water swimming, and how can they overcome them?
The biggest barriers I see women facing when starting a new activity, not just in open water swimming, are related to their children’s schedules. Women’s lives are still heavily tied to household and childcare responsibilities. Fortunately, I know many more independent women who have partners that are much more aware of shared responsibilities and even support them in having these exclusive moments for themselves.
What are your future goals for Swim4Fun? Are there any new projects in sight?
There are always new projects in my head, and the planning phase for 2025 has already begun. Swim4Fun is still very new, and for the coming year, I want to implement many unique initiatives. For now, I can say that we will have a varied schedule of online and in-person lectures and events starting from September/October. I also aim to open swimming classes in pools and launch some Swim4Fun products.
How do you balance your personal life with being an athlete and entrepreneur?
Fortunately, I have the privilege of working with what I love, and although it may seem contradictory, despite working practically all hours (that’s the life of an entrepreneur), I can choose my work hours. Nowadays, I spend many hours working in the field, giving training and lessons, so the “athlete career” is somewhat on the side. I have been participating in swimming competitions, but I cannot train as much as I would if I were a full-time athlete. However, these are phases, and at the moment, my focus is on solidifying the foundations of Swim4Fun and growing it. In my personal life, I am lucky to have someone by my side who understands the importance of this project to me.
We can achieve anything, and fear cannot be an inhibiting feeling. Fear is part of the process of starting something new, and it’s normal. I believe women should think less and act more. There’s no problem in trying something and failing; the real mistake is not trying at all. If you have a desire, a goal, a dream, go for it and don’t give too much importance to what others say. I’ve always heard that the people who love us the most are not always the best at giving advice on new ventures because, in most cases, they want to see us stable, without problems, and entrepreneurship brings anything but stability, especially in the beginning. However, this is to say that if you really want something and have doubts, seek advice from people outside the family circle, professionals in the field, or people who have gone through similar experiences. That’s why projects and initiatives like W+ are so important—to bring women together to share their daily training routines also helps alleviate the burdens women carry (for a thousand and one reasons).
To conclude, there are two quotes that I love:
- “Hope for the best, plan for the worst, and be prepared to be surprised.”
- “Our lives are not determined by what happens to us, but by how we react to what happens. Not by what life brings to us, but by the attitude we bring to life.”
