S01: 26 x 45’
Diana Pais is one of the most promising athletes in Portugal. After leaving the High-Performance Sports Academy, a year ago, she is now back where she will meet her brother, the renowned judo player Sérgio Pais. Diana's dream is to follow in the footsteps of her idol and win a place at the Olympics. But an accident, right at the beginning of the story, sends Sérgio into a coma, leading our protagonist to focus on two goals: reaching the Olympics and finding out how her brother ended up in a hospital bed. Although the police investigation classifies the accident as a "random and unexpected event", Diana starts gathering clues that lead her to think her brother may have been the target of a murder attempt. This is the starting point to get to know the stories behind the different characters at High Performance Sports Academy, always with the young athletes in the spotlight, exploring their relationships with coaches, directors, psychologists, cooks and, of course, teammates. But we'll also get to know their lives outside the Academy, through the different family dynamics, the relationship (not always peaceful) with the students and teachers at the high school, or even feel the vibe of Sheila's bar where everyone meets.
Also playing a central role (as an antagonist) is the egocentric and contagious Filipa Telles. The current national record holder in the 100m and 200m, looks at Diana as a threat as she realizes she has the skills to beat her. But it will be off the tracks that Filipa will threaten her opponent's performance, resorting to her usual bully-like tactics, which she likes to call "pressure tests", usually unnoticed by Academy coaches. The two athletes will compete in some of the most intense and exciting contests in their categories, bringing to light a rivalry also driven by their interest in the same boy, Ivo Pinto. However, the triathlete has a golden rule: he doesn't get involved with athletes from the Academy. Despite the constant approaches from Filipa, who believes she can seduce him - more out of pride and a self-imposed challenge than because she is madly in love - Ivo has remained true to his "principles". But Diana's arrival could make him change his mind.
Romances and heartbreaks aside, the triathlete will be focusing mainly on another issue that he keeps secret: the struggle to control his weight, which leads him to consume illegal anabolic steroids that will end up jeopardizing his future in the Academy. Here, the fight for the best results can be cruel and a real test of everyone's limits. There are those who look to illicit substances as a boost to go further, or those who simply lose track of their own limits, with unpredictable consequences, just as it happened to Márcio, Ivo's triathlon teammate, who, after a reckless move during a cycling training session, suffers a terrible accident that leaves him paraplegic. His willpower and the help of CAR's physiotherapist will, however, keep him connected to sport, with a focus on canoeing.
But not everyone has Márcio's drive to overcome the obstacles, or the ability to deal with ghosts from the past, inner conflicts or tough family situations. Ukrainian judo player Olek, for example, will panic when he realizes his weight gain will force him to change category and face stronger adversaries; Rui, the canoeist from a poor family who puts all their hope on him; while long jump expert Gabriela struggles with a question of sexual identity that will force her to make the most important decision of her life.
On the other hand, there are the Academy's two cheeriest athletes: shot putter Paulão and triathlete Maria Elisa, the main promoters of events and parties, whose proactivity is recognized by everyone at the Academy, although they too keep their secrets under lock and key. In each episode, we focus on the story of one of the athletes, their dreams and goals, secrets and weaknesses, while we discover a little more about Diana's investigation, guided by constant suspense, towards a surprising ending, worthy of the best Agatha Christie mysteries.
