Deaths: Gil Rocha made history in sports journalism – 07/10/2023 – Daily life

For four decades, journalist Gilberto Rocha Manoel narrated, presented and commented on sports competitions, including 40 championships in Paraná and seven football World Cups. He covered Formula 1 races and commanded teams on the country’s biggest broadcasters, such as Globo Sport, where he worked for 33 years, becoming a reference for sports journalism.

He started at age 16 as a radio listener in stations in the interior of Paraná, where he was born. In one of his interviews for CBN Curitiba, Gil —as he was known— said he was proud of the way he managed to portray football, far beyond the goal. “We started to show the fan, the mistake, the curious and funny thing, and that became a rule in sports journalism.”

He was one of the creators of the painting “The worst moments”, reproduced nationally by Globo. “He was essentially a journalist. His story is intertwined with that of journalism”, recalls his son Lucas Rocha, also a journalist.

His friend Amarildo Lopes highlights Gil’s humility, attention and responsibility, who was both playful and extroverted. “Working with Gil was very pleasant, light, peaceful; nothing made him nervous. He was an incredible person.”

Gil’s sense of humor is remembered by journalist and friend Dirk Lopes. “He faced the profession and life with great joy. On his last day, he made a video at the hospital in which he talked about the procedure he was going to do and, in the end, he joked that he didn’t have gel to fix his hair.”

Joyce Carvalho emphasizes her colleague’s joy. “I was in that ‘live’ tension, and he would go there and grimace through the glass at me,” she recalls. “The moment you didn’t expect it, he came with a compliment, a word of encouragement, observation, understanding, solidarity, empathy, respect.”

In his free time, Gil loved to travel. At home, he was present, caring and shared all the family achievements. “He taught me that life has to be enjoyed, he taught me to be fair”, adds his son Lucas.

His wife and journalist, Ana Zimmerman, remembers his human attitude in management positions. “He would give himself up for others. Anything they asked him to do. He had a lot of dedication and care for people and his family.”

Gil Rocha had a cardiac arrest on June 30, during a catheterization, leaving his wife, three children and sports journalism in mourning.

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