Miriam Blasco and Barcelona 92 Pioneers Shape IMPERIA Founders Launch
Olympic judo champion Miriam Blasco stated that the female athletes of the 1992 Barcelona Olympic Games opened the doors for Spanish women’s sport during an appearance at the Conde Duque cultural center in Madrid. Speaking with 20Minutos, the historic gold medalist joined the IMPERIA Founders initiative in 2026 to bridge past achievements with future generations of athletes.
Honoring the Trailblazers of Barcelona 1992
Blasco became Spain’s first female Olympic champion by winning gold in the judo competition at the 1992 Summer Games. Reflecting on her status as a historic figure, she emphasized that the milestone was a collective effort by the nation’s female competitors in Barcelona.
It is true that it’s a Trivial Pursuit question, who was the first Spanish woman to get a gold,
Blasco told 20Minutos. But I have always considered that we are the women of Barcelona ’92 who opened the doors for Spanish women’s sport, because the next day my teammate Almudena Muñoz won gold, there is also Theresa Zabell, the hockey team… There were many of us who pushed that door open.
Reflecting on Three Decades of Spanish Judo Success
The progression of Spanish judo was highlighted recently when Ai Tsunoda became the third Spanish woman to win a World Championship gold medal, ending a nearly 30-year wait since Isabel Fernández secured the title. Blasco praised Tsunoda’s performance while noting the depth of the current national squad, which includes medalists such as Ariane Toro, David García Torné, and Ayumi Leiva.
This surge in international success propelled Spain to a fourth-place finish in the medal standings at the recent world championships. Regarding expectations for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games, Blasco expressed optimism about the current talent pool while stressing the importance of shielding younger competitors from excessive pressure.
Advocating for Mentorship and Grassroots Enjoyment
Recalling her own athletic upbringing within a family of eight siblings where her father assigned two children to gymnastics and two to judo, Blasco described her lifelong involvement in the sport as an immediate connection at age eight. Now operating a judo school in Alicante, she continues to train and mentor young athletes.
Blasco emphasized the critical need for visible role models for young girls, noting that during her own competitive years she frequently had to train against boys due to a lack of established female peers in the sport. Her advice to young girls entering judo centers on enjoyment and effort rather than immediate medal acquisition.
What I would say to all those girls who dream of being judokas is that the most important thing is to have fun, to have a good time, and that little by little that path leads you to triumphs,
Blasco told 20Minutos. I wouldn’t focus on getting a medal, I would concentrate on having fun and making an effort.
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