Hailing from the Sertão of the Brazilian state of Pernambuco, Marques moved to the state capitalRecife at the age of 11 so her older siblings could attend college. One year later, she became a swimmer for Clube Náutico Capibaribe, where she competed alongside future Olympian Joanna Maranhão. Marques change of sport occurred in 2003, when she was invited to a biathle competition held by Pernambuco's recently inaugurated modern pentathlon federation, part of the then-new Brazilian confederation's plan to spread the sport. Marques won, and was invited by confederation founder Alexandre França to become a pentathlete. Just one year after changing to modern pentathlon, with França as part of her coaching staff, Marques was Brazilian and South American champion. The gold medal in the 2007 Pan American Games, held in Rio de Janeiro, qualified Marques for her Olympian debut at the 2008 Summer Olympics, where she finished 18th overall. The following year, Marques joined the Brazilian Army to gain the scholarship and training facilities reserved for military sportspeople. Marques wound up topping the Brazilian pentathlon rankings in 2010, and became 3rd in the world in 2011, where she was a silver medalist at the Pan American Games and three medals at the Military World Games. Arriving at the 2012 Summer Olympics with medal expectations, Marques started with a 6th place in fencing, jumped to second following swimming and kept the position following the show jumping. The combined running/shooting closer had Marques win the bronze, Brazil's final medal in those Olympics. Following the Games, Marques rose to 2nd in the world rankings, preceded only by gold medallist Laura Asadauskaitė of Lithuania. Marques was chosen through popular vote to be the flagbearer of Brazil for the opening ceremony of the 2016 Summer Olympics, which the country would host in Rio de Janeiro. She was only the second woman to hold the honor following Sandra Pires. With bad results in the fencing, Yane finished at 23rd in the modern pentathlon. Despite that, she expressed no regrets in the results, particularly as Marques' pentathlon performances helped spread her sport. Marques holds a degree at physical education at Recife's. She is married to a fellow pentathlete, Aloísio Sandes.
