Gustavo Nieves Campello

Gustavo Nieves Campello (born 9 March 1982) is a Spanish T12/B2 Paralympic athlete. Losing his vision suddenly at 17, he left the sport of football for athletics. He first raced competitively in 1998 Vigo half marathon. He went on to compete at IPC European and World Championships. He also competed at the 2000, 2008, 2012 and 2016 Summer Paralympics, but did not medal in any of these Games.

Personal Nieves was born on March 9, 1982 in Vilalba, Lugo. Shortly after his birth, his parents emigrated to Germany. His father remained in Germany and was still there as of 2009, and there is no clear reason why or if his vision will continue to deteriorate. Prior to that, he played football as a midfielder for Sárdoma in Spain's División de Honor Juvenil de Fútbol, and had tried out for Celta de Vigo.

Nieves competed in the 2000 Summer Paralympics in Sydney, Australia He competed at the 2008 Summer Paralympics in Beijing, China. At the 2009 IPC European Athletics Championships, he won two gold medals and one silver medal while setting a world record in the 10,000 meters. His second gold was in the 5,000 meters and the silver was in the 1,500 meters. In 2009, he set a world record in the T12 10,000 meter event during a race in Galicia.

In 2010, Nieves set a world record in the T12 10,000 meter race and then bettered his own world record 40 days later at a race in Jerez de la Frontera. He competed in the 2011 Pontevedra half marathon. In 2011, he injured the third metatarsal of the left foot as a result of athletics. His physical therapy following the injury involved training in the pool. He started competing again after the injury-imposed break in late September 2011 at a race in Berlin. In 2012, he was a recipient of a Plan ADO €2,500 coaching scholarship.

In March 2012, Nieves was training up to four hours a day at the Galician Sports Modernization Center (CGTD). Prior to the start of the London Games, he trained with several other visually impaired Spanish track and field athletes in Logroño. He finished first in the 2012 San Silvestre Candelaria 4,500 meter race. He opted to not compete in the 2012 European Championships as a result. He raced at the 2012 Summer Paralympics, finishing fourth in the 5,000 meters. His time was 4 seconds slower than his personal best. In May 2013, he was attempting to qualify at the Kern Sauleda Pharme-Grand Prix for the IPC Athletics World Championships in Lyon, France, in the 5,000 meter race. Later that month, he attempted to qualify for the World Championships in the 10,000 meter race at a race in Huesca. Nieves has a goal of trying to qualify for and compete in the 2016 Summer Paralympics.