Place and date of birth: Buenos Aires, Argentina, August 9, 1977
Year the practice started: 1986
Detail of her sports achievements:
Sports achievements in women’s individual combat:
- Russia 93, junior world champion.
- Poland 1995, junior world bronze.
- Brazil 1998, Pan American champion.
- Uruguay 2000, Pan American champion.
- Italy 2001, Silver world champion.
- Poland 2003, senior world champion.
- USA 2004, Silver World Cup.
- Paraguay 2004, Pan American champion.
- Spain 2006, champion World Cup.
- Italy 2008, bronze World Cup.
- Brazil 2008, Pan American champion.
- Argentina 2009, bronze senior World.
- Argentina 2010, Pan American champion.
- New Zealand 2011, bronze senior world.
- England 2012, World Cup champion.
- Argentina 2012, Pan American champion.
- Spain 2013, senior world bronze.
- Paraguay 2014, Pan American champion.
- Italy 2015, senior world champion.
- Member of the Argentina National Team from 1993 to 2015.
- Outstanding personality in the Hall of Fame, 2017.
Who was your coach?
Master Edgardo Villanueva
What was the training routine like?
2 daily workouts from Monday to Saturday and Sunday, 1 shift only.
1 physical training in the morning lasting 1 hour, and 1 Taekwon-Do in the afternoon, lasting 2 hours.
Also, once a week we did psychological work.
What was the best moment in a world cup?
The best moment was the day I retired from my career as an individual competitor, in Italy 2015, where I won 5 combats in the 68 kg category and at my best level.
It was a dream retreat, at 37 years old, showing that if you have a dream you can fulfill it with work and passion, accompanied by my family, my friends, colleagues and my Master.
What was the worst moment in your professional career?
There were 2 bad times.
One was not being able to qualify for the World Cup that took place in my country, Argentina, in 1999 and having to watch it from the steps.
The other was crying nonstop on the Italy 2001 podium for losing the final. Even today I am ashamed of not having been able to celebrate a silver medal in a World Cup after 5 wonderful fights.
Who was inspired you? Who was your competing idol?
The first thing that always inspired me is the Argentine flag. To think about my flag, was to think that there were hundreds of people pushing me and saying: “come on you can! Don´t give up! You’re here, enjoy it! ”
As an idol I have one that is not from Taekwon-Do. He was an athlete named Jesse Owens, he was black and Jewish, and at the Berlin Olympics in 1936, he put Hitler in check as he won 4 Olympic golds and was Overall, the best athlete. Of course, Hitler refused to present him with his prize.
But the participation of Owens, despite all the prejudices against him, was a way of confronting and protesting against Nazism with elegance.
Sacrifices. What was the biggest effort you had to face to achieve your sports dream?
In Argentina, always the most difficult thing was collecting money to travel. The rest was pure pleasure, because I am passionate about Taekwon-Do and training.
How did the values of Taekwon-Do influence your preparation?
The values of Taekwon-Do, along with the education my parents gave me, were always present in my sports career, as they are now in my personal life.
Of the principles of Taekwon-Do: integrity, perseverance and an indomitable spirit are those that I have in mind the most.
What are your main recommendations for future practitioners?
That they follow their dreams, that they become passionate about themselves and greatly enjoy each practice, each step of the journey that will lead them to live it. The day they meet they will realize that the best thing of all was to walk the road, the people they met while they were walking it and, perhaps, they will be their friends for life or at least, they will have a earned place in their heart.
Miscellaneous:
Today, 5 years after my retirement, I continue to practice Taekwon-Do with my Master Edgardo Villanueva, 3 times a week, I have my own school of students with 10 instructors in charge and, among other things, I was chosen to integrate the first Women Committee of the ITF, which focuses its efforts on achieving equal opportunities and promoting the development of women within the Federation.
In addition, I am the director of the ONG Taekwon-Do Solidario, a Foundation that carries art martial to children in the most marginal neighborhoods of Argentina, activity that we develop with a group of teachers who work ad-honorem.
This Foundation already has 6 venues, with more than 300 boys practicing for free, taking their exams for free and participating in national and international tournaments.
