He started swimming at Esporte Clube União Suzano when he was just three years old. At age 13, he became the champion in Brazilian Juniors Category II. After training at the Gustavo Borges academy in Curitiba, França moved to the state capital, São Paulo, and joined Esporte Clube Pinheiros.

In April 2008, França competed in the 2008 FINA World Swimming Championships (25 m), in the city of Manchester, placing 6th in the 4×100-metre medley, 12th in the 100-metre breaststroke, and 13th in the 50-metre breaststroke.

A month later, in May 2008, Felipe França captured the second Brazilian spot for the 2008 Summer Olympics in the 100-metre breaststroke, recording a time of 1:01.17 at the Brazilian Olympic trials. However, at the 2008 Olympics, he failed to move on from the early heats in his individual event. In the end, França finished 22nd in the 100-metre breaststroke and, along with his teammates, placed 14th in the 4×100-metre medley relay.

At the 2009 Brazilian Championships (Maria Lenk Trophy), França became the first swimmer to record a time under 27 seconds in the long-course 50-metre breaststroke, winning the event with the World Record time of 26.89 seconds.

At the 2009 Summer Universiade in Belgrade, Serbia, França won the silver medal in the 50-metre breaststroke.

At the 2009 World Aquatics Championships in Rome, França again won the silver medal, recording a mark of 26.76 seconds, which became the new Americas record. The gold went to South African Cameron van der Burgh, who became the new world record holder with a time of 26.67 seconds.

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Wikipedia