# Luciana Mendes

Luciana de Paula Mendes (born 26 July 1971 in Rio de Janeiro) is a retired Brazilian athlete who competed predominantly in the 400 and 800 metres. She represented her country at the 1996 and 2004 Summer Olympics reaching the semifinals on the second occasion. She also won multiple medals at the continental level.
Her 800 and 1000 metres personal bests are the current national records.

## Competition record

| Year | Competition | Venue | Position | Event | Notes |
| Representing Brazil ||||||
| 1988 | South American Junior Championships | Cubatão, Brazil | 1st | 400 m | 55.49 |
| 1988 | South American Junior Championships | Cubatão, Brazil | 1st | 4 × 400 m relay | 3:41.52 |
| 1989 | South American Junior Championships | Montevideo, Uruguay | 2nd | 400 m | 55.49 |
| 1989 | South American Junior Championships | Montevideo, Uruguay | 1st | 4 × 400 m relay | 3:40.7 |
| 1989 | Pan American Junior Championships | Santa Fe, Argentina | 7th | 400 m | 55.28 |
| 1989 | Pan American Junior Championships | Santa Fe, Argentina | 3rd | 4 × 400 m relay | 3:40.87 |
| 1990 | South American Junior Championships | Bogotá, Colombia | 1st | 400 m | 54.85 |
| 1990 | South American Junior Championships | Bogotá, Colombia | 1st | 4 × 400 m relay | 3:45.12 |
| 1991 | South American Championships | Manaus, Brazil | 2nd | 800 m | 2:04.44 |
| 1991 | South American Championships | Manaus, Brazil | 1st | 4 × 400 m relay | 3:32.59 |
| 1992 | Ibero-American Championships | Seville, Spain | 5th (h) | 400m | 54.90 |
| 1992 | Ibero-American Championships | Seville, Spain | 7th | 800m | 2:07.02 |
| 1993 | South American Championships | Lima, Peru | 2nd | 400 m | 53.06 |
| 1993 | South American Championships | Lima, Peru | 2nd | 800 m | 2:04.5 |
| 1993 | South American Championships | Lima, Peru | 1st | 4 × 400 m relay | 3:36.49 |
| 1993 | World Championships | Stuttgart, Germany | 24th (h) | 800 m | 2:03.55 |
| 1994 | World Cup | London, United Kingdom | 2nd | 800 m | 2:00.13 |
| 1994 | South American Games | Valencia, Venezuela | 3rd | 400 m | 54.72 |
| 1994 | South American Games | Valencia, Venezuela | 1st | 800 m | 2:01.99 |
| 1995 | Pan American Games | Mar del Plata, Argentina | 10th (h) | 400 m | 55.56 |
| 1995 | Pan American Games | Mar del Plata, Argentina | 2nd | 800 m | 2:01.71 |
| 1995 | Pan American Games | Mar del Plata, Argentina | – | 4 × 400 m relay | DQ |
| 1995 | South American Championships | Manaus, Brazil | 2nd | 400 m | 2:03.56 |
| 1995 | World Championships | Gothenburg, Sweden | 21st (h) | 800 m | 2:01.82 |
| 1996 | Ibero-American Championships | Medellín, Colombia | 9th (h) | 400 m | 55.44 |
| 1996 | Ibero-American Championships | Medellín, Colombia | 2nd | 4 × 400 m relay | 3:34.34 |
| 1996 | Olympic Games | Atlanta, United States | 16th (h) | 800 m | 2:00.25 |
| 1997 | South American Championships | Mar del Plata, Argentina | 1st | 800 m | 2:03.56 |
| 1997 | South American Championships | Mar del Plata, Argentina | 2nd | 4 × 400 m relay | 3:38.18 |
| 1997 | World Championships | Athens, Greece | 6th (sf) | 800 m | 1:59.45 |
| 1999 | South American Championships | Bogotá, Colombia | 1st | 800 m | 2:05.62 |
| 1999 | South American Championships | Bogotá, Colombia | 2nd | 4 × 400 m relay | 3:37.88 |
| 2000 | Ibero-American Championships | Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | 3rd | 400 m | 53.18 |
| 2000 | Ibero-American Championships | Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | 1st | 800 m | 2:01.77 |
| 2001 | South American Championships | Manaus, Brazil | 1st | 400 m | 52.76 |
| 2001 | South American Championships | Manaus, Brazil | 1st | 800 m | 2:00.04 |
| 2001 | South American Championships | Manaus, Brazil | 1st | 4 × 400 m relay | 3:32.43 |
| 2001 | World Championships | Edmonton, Canada | 8th (sf) | 800 m | 2:01.94 |
| 2003 | South American Championships | Barquisimeto, Venezuela | 1st | 800 m | 2:02.06 |
| 2003 | Pan American Games | Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic | 5th | 800 m | 2:05.52 |
| 2003 | Pan American Games | Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic | 8th | 1500 m | 4:21.80 |
| 2004 | Ibero-American Championships | Huelva, Spain | 5th | 800 m | 2:03.36 |
| 2004 | Olympic Games | Athens, Greece | 21st (sf) | 800 m | 2:02.00 |

## Personal bests

* 400 metres – 52.76 (Manaus 2001)
* 600 metres – 1:25.05 (Liège 2004)
* 800 metres – 1:58.27 (Hechtel 1994)
* 1000 metres – 2:36.30 (Brussels 1995)
* 1500 metres – 4:20.81 (São Paulo 2003)