She was at the 1979 Pan American Games, in San Juan, Puerto Rico, where she finished 5th in the 4×100-metre freestyle, 8th in the 100-metre butterfly, and was disqualified at the 200-metre butterfly.[3][4]
Pereira was classified to compete in the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, but she decided to abandon the swim.[5] Later, she returned to swim.[3]
At the 1986 World Aquatics Championships in Madrid, Pereira finished 19th in the 50-metre freestyle, 33rd in the 100-metre butterfly, and 36th in the 100-metre freestyle.[6]
At the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, she finished 11th in the 4×100-metre freestyle, 17th in the 50-metre freestyle, and 34th in the 100-metre freestyle.[2]
She was Brazilian and South American record holder of the 50-metre and 100-metre freestyle.[3] In 1982, Adriana Pereira debuted the Brazilian women's 50-metre freestyle record, swimming in 27.10 seconds.[8] On 1989, she broke the South American record of the 50-metre freestyle for the last time, with a time of 26.24 seconds. The record was only beaten in 2000 by Flávia Delaroli.[9] In the 100-metre freestyle, she broke the South American record for the first time, on 1981, with a time of 59.50 seconds. The last record of 100-metre freestyle made by Adriana fell in 1996.[10] She was also the Brazilian record holder of the 100-metre butterfly, with a time of 1:04.66.[10][11]