About Davidson
“Boka” de Souza.

From São Paulo

Davidson grew up in a favela outside São Paulo, raised by his mother alongside his brother, and started working at eight. Sport gave him direction: he became a national-level discus and javelin thrower, and later a national men’s physique champion.

Brazil’s bobsleigh team

At about 20 he was invited to try bobsleigh. Training in Calgary, he slid down the WinSport track for the first time and was hooked. He made Brazil’s team for the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games, as four-man reserve.

A one-way ticket to Canada

After Sochi he sold his motorcycle and phone and bought a one-way ticket to Calgary. He became a father of two, and in December 2021 he returned to the sport with Canada’s national program. In November 2022 he pushed Team Canada’s four-man sled to World Cup bronze in Whistler.

The crash

In December 2024 a head-on collision in training fractured his femur, the strongest bone in the body, and injured four leg muscles. After complex surgery, his career looked finished.

The comeback

Fourteen months later, back in Brazil’s colours, he raced at Milano Cortina 2026. The four-man crew of Edson Bindilatti, Luis Bacca, Rafael Souza da Silva and Davidson de Souza finished 19th, the best Olympic result in Brazilian bobsleigh history. His rebuild was followed in the CBC docuseries Redemption Run.

Today

Davidson speaks to companies, schools and sport organizations about resilience, discipline and team performance, in English and Portuguese. He coaches athletes in Calgary through DS Elite Performance and supports young people in Brazil through Kind Monsters. His motto: Discipline or regret.