Kaio Márcio de Almeida (born 19 October 1984) is a Brazilian swimmer who specializes in the butterfly. He is also known by the reduced versions of his name: Kaio Márcio, Kaio Márcio de Almeida, Kaio Almeida, or Kaio de Almeida. Almeida was nine years old when he began swimming in Esporte Clube Cabo Branco in João Pessoa. He suffered from asthma attacks and began swimming for medical reasons, and under the influence of his father, José Márcio. At the time, Almeida was nicknamed "Gordo" (fat), a nickname he lost at age 15 when he lost weight and began to train and compete regularly. As of February 2015, he competes for the swimming team of Minas Tênis Clube. International career 2003 At the age of 18, Almeida competed in the 200-meter butterfly semifinal at the 2003 World Aquatics Championships in Barcelona, where he ranked 13th. He also swam the 100-meter butterfly, ranking 22nd. In the 100-meter butterfly, he broke the Brazilian record with a time of 53.98 seconds. In the 200-meter butterfly, he broke a 20-year South American record set by Ricardo Prado in 1983. Almeida's time was 1:58.83 and the record was 1:59.00. In August, Almeida competed at the 2003 Pan American Games in Santo Domingo, where he won silver medals in the 200-meter butterfly and 4×100-meter medley, and a bronze in the 100-meter butterfly. He broke his Brazilian records in the 100-meter butterfly with a time of 53.44 seconds, and in the 200-meter butterfly with a time of 1:58.10, both getting the Olympic index. In the 4×100-meter medley, he broke the South American record with a time of 3:40.02. 2004 In June 2004, participating in the second stage of the Circuit Mare Nostrum in Canet, France, Almeida broke the long-course South American record in the 200-meter butterfly with a time of 1:57.38, which was set by the Venezuelan Rafael Vidal since 1984 (1:57.51). Almeida participated in 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, where he finished 17th in the 100-meter butterfly, 19th in 200-meter butterfly and 15th in 4×100-meter medley. On 10 September 2004, Almeida broke the South American record in the 50-meter butterfly with a time of 23.33 seconds. The previous record of 23.41 seconds was set in 2001 by Nicholas Santos,. Almeida competed at the 2004 FINA World Swimming Championships (25 m) held in Indianapolis in October. He finished fourth in the 4×100-meter medley, breaking the South American record