He studied Physical Education in the military academy alongside future Olympic track and field champion Adhemar da Silva, becoming a judo enthusiast and black belt.

[2] At the inaugural Pan American Games in 1951, in Buenos Aires, Argentina, he won a silver medal in the 4×200-metre freestyle, along with Aram Boghossian, Ricardo Capanema, and Tetsuo Okamoto.

[1] Afterwards, Gonçalves moved to Esporte Clube Pinheiros in São Paulo, where he practiced water polo and attended law school at Mackenzie Presbyterian University.

[12][1] Retired from practicing sports, Gonçalves Filho became a judo coach, first for Esporte Clube Pinheiros and eventually the Brazilian national team starting in 1978.

Gonçalves attended the Barcelona 1992 and Atlanta 1996, seeing Pinheiros judoka Aurélio Miguel win a bronze medal in the latter.