She won gold medals at the World Judo Championships of 2013 and 2022 and at the 2016 Summer Olympics in the –57 kg weight division.

[2] Currently, she occupies the rank of graduation third sergeant in the Navy of Brazil and integrates the Center of Physical Education Admiral Nunes (CEFAN), the Military Sports Department.

Because they were concerned with fights and violence in the streets, when Rafaela was 7 years old her parents[3] Luiz Carlos and Zenilda Silva signed her up, together with her sister, Raquel, for judo classes at the Institute Reaction, newly fitted at Cidade de Deus by the former athlete Flávio Canto.

[6] At the 2012 London Olympics, Silva was disqualified for an illegal leg grab during a fight against Hedvig Karakas of Hungary.

Silva won gold and bronze in 2019 Pan American Games and 2019 Judo World Championships, respectively, but tested positive for fenoterol after the former tournament.