BARRERA ZAPATA Maria Paula

Rank	Event	Year	Location	Result
World Championships
6	400m Freestyle - S10	2019	London, GBR	4:46.96
7	50m Freestyle - S10	2019	London, GBR	29.30
7	100m Freestyle - S10	2019	London, GBR	1:03.16
9	100m Butterfly - S10	2019	London, GBR	1:13.35

Reading, painting, drawing, art. (cpc.org.co, 26 May 2020; Athlete, 10 Sep 2019)

Athlete

English, Spanish

2014 for Colombia (Athlete, 10 Sep 2019)

She began swimming in 2009 with her brother and her mother in Cali, Colombia. She took up Para swimming in 2013. (Athlete, 10 Sep 2019; dxtcapital.com, 18 Mar 2017 )

"I started swimming for therapy [after surgery on bone lengthening in her left leg]. When I first got into the water I almost drowned because of how heavy my orthosis was, but I still wanted to learn how to swim." (Athlete, 10 Sep 2019; elpais.com.co, 02 Apr 2017; Inspire Colombia YouTube channel, 02 Jul 2015)

To compete at the 2020 Paralympic Games in Tokyo. (paralympic.org, 19 Apr 2017)

Claiming gold in the S10 400m freestyle at the 2014 Para South American Games in Santiago, Chile and winning four gold medals and one silver at the 2019 Parapan American Games in Lima, Peru. (SportsDeskOnline, 21 Jun 2021; Athlete, 10 Sep 2019; paralympic.org, 06 Oct 2014)

Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt. (Athlete, 10 Sep 2019)

Her family. (Athlete, 10 Sep 2019)

"I have found a space in the water where I can develop in a freer way. On the ground I have many limitations, as I cannot run, jump, and have any strong contact because it affects my health. On the contrary, in the water, all those barriers are broken and I can do the same things that other people do. On certain occasions, I have even managed to do more than others. In the water, I find a place where I can be the best version of myself." (elespectador.com, 14 Dec 2019)

She was named the International Paralympic Committee [IPC] Athlete of the Month for March 2017. (paralympic.org, 10 Apr 2017)

She was flag bearer for Colombia at the opening ceremony of the 2017 Youth Parapan American Games in Sao Paulo, Brazil. (dxtcapital.com, 18 Mar 2017)