Haraldsdottir qualified for two swimming events at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, by clearing FINA B-standard entry times of 1:10.66 (100 m breaststroke) from the Mare Nostrum Arena International Meet in Canet-en-Roussillon, France, and 2:18.74 (200 m individual medley) from the Icelandic Championships in Reykjavik.
In June 2004, participating in the second stage of the Circuit Marenostrum in Canet, France, Almeida broke the long-course South American record in the 200-meter butterfly with a time of 1:57.38, which was set by the Venezuelan Rafael Vidal since 1984 (1:57.51).
In the summer at the Mare Nostrum meets, he won 6 gold medals and 2 silver medals (in Monaco, Canet, Barcelona and Rome), which earned him second place in the general circuit ranking.