PEREZ Paola

Venezuela

Marathon Swimming

Date of Birth: 5 Apr 1991

Age: 30

Gender: Female

Place of birth: SAN CRISTOBAL

Birth Country:

Venezuela

Place of residence : SANTIAGO

Residence Country:

Chile

Events and Medals
Records
Schedule
Bio
General Interest
Milestones

Events and Medals

Discipline	Event	Rank	Medal
Marathon Swimming	Women's 10km	20

Schedule

Change

Start Time	Location	Event	Status
	Odaiba Marine Park	Women's 10km	Finished

Biographical Information

Highlights

Athlete:

Olympic Games

Year	Location	10km
2016	Rio de Janeiro, BRA	20

World Championships

Year	Location	5km	10km	25km	5km - TTT X	5km - TR X
2019	Gwangju, KOR	39	42	-	-	19
2015	Kazan, RUS	-	39	-	16	-
2013	Barcelona, ESP	27	32	13	-	-

Pan American Games

Year	Location	10km
2019	Lima, PER	11

South American Championships

Year	Location	10km
2018	Cochabamba, BOL	6

Legend
X - Mixed, DNF - Did Not Finish, DNS - Did Not Start, DSQ - Disqualified, TR - Team Relay, TTT - Team Time Trial

Occupation:

Athlete, Coach

Education:

Accounting - Catholic University of Tachira, Venezuela

Family:

Partner Hugo

Languages spoken:

Spanish

Sporting relatives:

Her sister Silvia is a former swimmer who represented Venezuela between 1999 and 2007. Her mother Flora represented Venezuela in artistic swimming. (Silvia Perez Twitter profile, 17 Jul 2015; lanaciondeportes.com, 17 Dec 2014)

Start:

She began swimming at age three. (lanaciondeportes.com, 17 Dec 2014)

Reason:

Her parents encouraged her to take up the sport. (lanaciondeportes.com, 17 Dec 2014)

Ambition:

To compete at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo. (eldiario.com, 19 Jun 2021)

Award:

In 2016 she received the Tachira State Order for Sports Merit in Venezuela. (tachira.gob.ve, 06 Jan 2017)

General Interest

General
HYPOTHERMIA
She battled hypothermia in the 10km event at the 2019 Pan American Games in Lima, Peru, where she finished in 11th place. She had asked Venezuelan sporting authorities for a neoprene suit, but the one she was given did not pass International Swimming Federation [FINA] regulations, which resulted in her competing in a regular suit not designed for colder waters. "I tried to stay strong. I love the sport and I did not come here to leave without competing. I made it until the sixth lap when I started battling hypothermia. It was cold and I couldn't feel my arms. I started losing consciousness, and I was swimming in a zigzag. I had a headache and nausea. I was only thinking about finishing." (Twitter profile, 09 Aug 2019; aporrea.org, 05 Aug 2018; analitica.com, 05 Aug 2019)

BREAK
She took a break from the sport following the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. She returned to the sport in 2018 and relocated to Santiago, Chile, to work under coach Juan Carlos Tenorio. "It was not a retirement but I took a rest. I cleared my mind and relaxed. I think it is also necessary to take a break and rest, and start again with encouragement." (aporrea.org, 05 Aug 2018; marcavinotinto.com, 26 Mar 2018)

Social Media

Legend

:: Gold Medal Event
:: Silver Medal Event
:: Bronze Medal Event

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