Isabel Fernández is aiming for a spot at the Los Angeles 2028 Paralympic Games through the adapted archery program at the High-Performance Center in León, Spain, Infobae reported.
The multi-sport athlete, who previously won world and European titles in karate, trains alongside coach Rubén Montes while balancing her preparation with necessary rest.
Training at the León High-Performance Center
Fernández bases her daily regimen at the CAR in León, a facility that has hosted a youth-focused archery technical training program for several years. She works alongside Montes as she points toward the world championships scheduled for September in Australia, which serve as a qualifying pathway for the Paralympic Games.
Her athletic path includes a background in the military before she transitioned to competitive sports while managing a degenerative illness. Her sports background includes basketball, cycling, canoeing, and weightlifting before she shifted her focus to karate and later archery.
Transitioning from Karate to Adapted Archery
After finishing her karate career at the wheelchair kata world championships in Budapest in 2023, she adopted the outdoor discipline.
She credits her military background with accelerating her adaptation to the sport, which demands precision and patience. Those traits helped her secure a world silver medal and a European title, accomplishments that positioned her for potential selection ahead of the Los Angeles Games—an opportunity unavailable in karate, which is not part of the Paralympic program.
Preparation for International Competition
Fernández acknowledges the physical demands and uncertainties surrounding her degenerative condition, which makes her sole focus on the 2028 cycle high-stakes. Her father travels with her to competitions to provide logistical support.
For the upcoming months, Fernández and her coaching staff plan a training camp with Italian archers, which could take place either in Grosseto, Italy, or at the León facility.
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