Athletic ability is just something that runs in the family for University of Hawai'i water polo senior-to-be Gabi Mantellato Dias—now so is being an Olympian. Following in the footsteps of relatives, she joins the Brazilian women's water polo team in defending the home turf this week at the XXI Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.

"I come from a family of athletes," Mantellato Dias said. "It's something that's always been in my family, and I grew up watching them, hearing all the stories and feeling the pride."

One person who serves as part of her Olympic inspiration is Ana Lucia de Camargo Barros, her aunt, who was a member of the Brazil volleyball team which earned Olympic gold at the 1992 Games in Barcelona, Spain. She also was a member of the squad in the 1988 Games in Seoul, South Korea.

While her aunt provided Olympic aspirations, it was Mantellato Dias' parents who presented examples guiding her present sport of choice. Her mother, Ana, was a swimmer and water polo star, playing in the World Championships in 1994, while her father, Nilson, was a standout goalie in the sport as well. Her grandfather also had a significant career in basketball.

It was her parents' careers that sparked an interest in the sport. After beginning as a tennis player, she bored of the game when she was young and turned her attention to the family pastime. The turning point was in 2007, when she was invited to junior national team tryouts—despite the roster's common age being four years older than her. Making the team, she began her international career at 16.

She notes that she saw the chain of events unfold for her inaugural Olympic appearance on the day Rio was announced as the venue, with Brazil receiving an automatic bid to the eight-team tournament as host—a first-ever appearance for her country in the Games. While earning her Communicology college degree in Honolulu, after graduating from Golden West College, the São Paulo, Brazil native had been a fixture on the national team. She helped earn bronze at the 2011 and 2015 Pan American Games.
 
"Water polo is not a big sport in Brazil, so this is the first time the women's team is going to the Olympics," she said. "When they announced the Olympics would be held in Rio, I thought 'now I can start to dream again'."

Not only has the goal been achieved for Mantellato Dias in reaching the Olympic pool, she's also able to appear on the big stage in her home nation during the first Olympic Games in South America—a component that makes the accomplishment all the sweeter for the Rainbow Wahine utility player.

"It's a dream come true, and being able to play and have all my family and friends here with me is a feeling I cannot even describe," Mantellato Dias said.

However, the fans, friends and relatives in the stands are not the only family she's happy to be at home with—the journey to the Games began last year when she rejoined the national team on the long road back home. Training twice a day with her teammates; working out, eating and living water polo has brought a closeness in the squad, many of which have been teammates for years.

"We've been playing together for a while and most of the girls on the national team are from the same club," Mantellato Dias said. "We all came back together and are spending most of our time together, so we respect each other, are there for each other and they're like my second family. I see them more than I see my parents."

After helping the Rainbow Wahine earn the 2015 Big West Championship, Mantellato Dias moved on to working with the national team, forced to take a redshirt season in order to fulfill the dream. Right now, it's all about embracing the experience.

"I'm looking forward to experiencing everything and enjoying all the different moments, because I don't know what it's like to be in the Olympics," Mantellato Dias said. "Starting from the day that we arrive at the village to the day we leave, I just want to take everything in."

She will return to UH next season for her final year with the Rainbow Wahine, with the experience of significant international competition and the Olympic Games under her belt, as UH looks to earn another Big West crown.

The women's water polo competitions started up on Tuesday at the Maria Lenk Aquatics Centre & Olympic Aquatics Stadium and run through the end of the week, with the medal matches set for Friday. Brazil is in Group A with Australia, Italy and Russia.