The Mexican judoka Paulina Martínez focuses on fulfilling in this cycle with the dream of competing in the Olympic Games, and for this, the athlete began to prevent herself with the issue of resources for the blanking that she needs during her journey.
Martínez participated in the fifth season of the Exatlón with the aim of making her sport better known and that it also give her a boost in her image for the search for sponsorships. That television show left him a good salary that will help him pay some expenses, but he knows that it will not be enough, so he has taken on the task of seeking support to help him -for now- to hold a camp in Spain.
Martínez is in the category of less than 52 kiloswhere Luz Olvera was the starter in the last Olympic cycle, and now Paulina knows that it is her time to fight for that Olympic dream.
What competition do you come from and what is next for you?
I have been arriving from Ecuador, two weeks ago, from a Pan American Open, of which I was fortunately champion. I am currently preparing for a Grand Slam that will be in Abu Dhabi in September and is a qualifying event for the Olympic Games, as well as two Pan American Opens, one in Santo Domingo and another in Colombia heading to the Pan American Games. Right now I am training at Conade with the entire National Team and I am looking at the possibility of getting support by my own means to see if I can attend a camp in Spain in August.
The sports authorities do not pay for this camp?
Conade really supports us for certain events and is not paying for camps, so judo is a combat sport and we need to be constantly warmed up to see what we are improving and what we need to work on more; This camp will be held in Valencia from August 21 to 28, and there are already confirmed countries such as China, Ukraine and Brazil. The flight is at 29 thousand pesos and the camp would cost around 7 thousand 500 pesos, so I am looking for sponsorships and brands to be able to support the expenses and participate in the camp.
There are athletes who even do raffles or sell their uniforms. Has this been your case?
The truth is, no. Fortunately I can say that I am an influencer, because I entered a reality show so that in a certain way this program would boost me and use it as a springboard to look for brands, sponsorships and to be able to pay for my Olympic Games. In Mexican sports one day they support us a lot, but on another there are no resources, so what I do is knock on doors to see which brands want to join my Olympic dream, and I’m just entering this world. I have never boated, I have never raffled anything, because at the end of the Pan American Open my state supported me with lodging, around 12 thousand pesos, so I told myself that if I entered that reality show to make money, then I should invest it, and now I It was time to pay the tickets and I know that he will have a pleasant retribution at any moment.
What was your participation in the Exatlón for?
I really entered out of necessity, and because my parents helped me pay for my sports career for some things where the cost is between 30 and 50 thousand pesos every three or four months., and I don’t come from a family with a golden cradle so that those whims could be fulfilled, so it couldn’t be done. When they offered me the opportunity to enter the program, I really said yes, and it was the best time because Tokyo was coming to an end, and in the future, possibly after Paris 2024, if I would like to return to the Exathlon, because it is a very beautiful adventure, but very demanding because injuries and recordings are the order of the day.
Didn’t Conade warn you to participate in these programs after the commitment letter?
It was difficult, because I left the Exatlón at the end of January, so I thought I was going to be banned from Conadeand that there was no way they would let me compete, but I went to the Pan American in April where I won the first match, lost the second and won the third, and so I went to the playoffs and finished seventh in the Pan American, which Added to the gold in the Pan American Open, it helped me climb to third place in the Americas ranking. So everything fell into place and Conade told me ‘we’re not going to sanction you, but don’t let me enter those programs again within the cycle’.
Do you invest what you earned in the Exathlon now in your preparation?
I had scholarships from Conade, but not in such large amounts, and the first thing I did when I left was tell my mom and dad to ‘buy whatever you want.’ It feels so good to reward a little what your parents have done for you, and if today they needed and I have, I would give it to them with my eyes closed. For the sport I am investing it, I am not going to deny that I have given myself one or another taste and a little expensive, but more than anything I have it reserved for the competitions in which the Conade and the federation could not support me.
In this cycle did you start thinking about the Olympic dream?
In the Tokyo cycle I was still in my junior stage, there was also a high-level competitor, Luz Olvera, and she was very important in terms of my junior results, because I pulled her and she pulled me; We trained together and she did the Olympic cycle, and unfortunately she came close to qualifying for the Olympic Games. You have to know how to wait and be patient, and now it’s my turn, and I’ll give everything to be able to qualify for Paris 2024.
Phrase
“I have it reserved (the Exatlón) for the competitions in which the Conade and the federation could not support me”
Pauline Martinez
mexican judoka
Cipher:
3
Place that Paulina Martínez occupies in the American continent and this will help you to have a better position in the competition graphs.
MGC
