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ATHLETE OF THE MONTH

Experience what is going on inside an elite athlete’s mind

Camila Vargas - June 2009

Nationality:El Salvador (ESA)
Boat Class: W1x
Key Results: 2007 Pan American Games - bronze
Single sculler Camila Vargas from El Salvador.
Camila Vargas Palomo from El Salvador focuses before the start of the Women's Single Sculls at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China.
Shunyi, CHINA. ESA W1X, Camila VARGAS, moves away from the start in her heat of the women's single sculls at the 2008 Olympic Regatta, Saturday, 09.08.2008 [Mandatory Credit: Peter SPURRIER, Intersport Images]
Rio de Janeiro, BRAZIL: Cuba's Mayra Gonzalez (C) celebrates her gold medal with Argentina's silver medalist Maria Gabriela Best (L) and El Salvador's bronze medalist Camila Vargas during the women's single sculls final A medal ceremony, of the Rio 2007 Pan American Games, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 17 July 2007. AFP PHOTO/Mauricio LIMA (Photo credit should read MAURICIO LIMA/AFP/Getty Images)
Rio de Janeiro, BRAZIL: El Salvador's bronze medalist Camila Vargas celebrates during the women's single sculls final A medal ceremony, during the Rio 2007 Pan American Games, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 17 July 2007. Cuba's Mayra Gonzalez won the gold medal and Argentina's Maria Gabriela Best the silver. AFP PHOTO/Mauricio LIMA (Photo credit should read MAURICIO LIMA/AFP/Getty Images)

PART II - CAMILA VARGAS SHARES MORE ABOUT HER ROWING LIFE AND PLANS

23 June

Camila Vargas continues to share her journey as rower in El Salvador, a country where she is one of a very small group of dedicated rowers.

World Rowing: Being in El Salvador where rowing has a small profile, how do you describe to people what you do?
Camila Vargas: After the Olympics, rowing became better known in El Salvador. People are amazed I do it daily, they find it fascinating but complicated.

WR: If you were to try and convince a teenager to row what would you tell them?
CV: The best way is to take them rowing. I would tell them it can be a team sport, and it is even better to do it with a friend.

WR: If you could choose the perfect race distance for you what would it be?
CV: I believe 1000m. However, I enjoy long distances more, but the shorter races are more interesting for the spectator. The finish would be more interesting; closer together.

WR: How long do you think you’ll continue competitive rowing for?
CV: One of the good things about rowing is that the older you are, the better you mature as a rower. I am really young. I am uncertain of the future, but I have been taught to love what I do.

WR: Would you like to stay involved in the sport once you finish competitive rowing?
CV: Rowing is part of my life. It would feel odd taking it out of my life. I would love to help make rowing more popular in Central America, like football.

WR: What do you think you will have to do to get more competitive in rowing?
CV: More courage and time competing. I have been rowing for a few years. I have to improve my technique and stamina. This is achieved with training for many kilometres.

WR: Who do you train with?
CV: I trained in Seville, Spain, under Osvaldo Borchi. Now I row at a lake in San Salvador; training under Hernan Leguia with the Salvadorian National Team.

WR: Is there anything you like to do (outside of rowing) to help you with your sport?
CV: I love to skate, but it is almost impossible to do in San Salvador. It is a great sport, it gets me out of the routine.

WR: Do you have any mentors or athletes that you admire?
CV: None specifically. I admire all of them, especially rowers since they wake up at 4am to train. Also rowers who enjoy racing despite the pressure.

WR: Do you think you would be doing another sport if you weren’t rowing?
CV: I would definitely be doing something on the water. It could be surfing or swimming.

WR: What is your favourite rowing venue?
CV: Lake Ilopango in Salvador, it is very beautiful. I also love to train in Seville, Spain. I really enjoyed training and living there. I am sure I will go back.

Part I - FIRST SALVADORIAN ROWER TO COMPETE AT OLYMPICS

4 June 2009

Camila Vargas became the first Salvadorian to compete at the Olympic Games in rowing when she raced at the Beijing Olympics in the women’s single. This was a dream that Vargas could not even image when she began rowing in 2001. Camila’s El Salvador is part of FISA’s development programme. It has two rowing clubs and a rowing history that goes back to just 1993. But Camila is in love with rowing and, despite her Beijing results, has no intention of stopping. For that Camila is World Rowing’s Athlete of the Month for June.

World Rowing: Tell us about rowing in El Salvador.
Camila Vargas: The Salvadorian Rowing Federation is quite new. There are two rowing clubs in the country. Very few people practice rowing in this country. We row on a lake one hour away from the city which makes it difficult to row. In 1995 Oliver Adams won the first medal for El Salvador in rowing. He did it in the Pan Americans Games.

WR: Where do you train?
CV: We row on big lakes in the early morning. The rowing federation is in the stadium where we use ergs and lift weights.

WR: How did you get involved in rowing?
CV: My first contact with rowing was in the summer of 2001, the year I turned 15. An uncle showed me the sport that would later define my lifestyle. I only did it for a month during summer that year. My siblings and I were taught that knowledge and sport should go hand in hand. As a child I played basketball, tennis and did swimming. When I finished high school in 2004, I moved to San Salvador, the capital, then my life spun 360 degrees and I started rowing.

WR: You rowed full time leading up to the Beijing Olympics, are you still full time?
CV: I study architecture in San Salvador which is not really compatible with rowing. But I make most of the day, the key is being organised. I am a student and, as such, I live life to the fullest.

WR: Who do you train with?
CV; My coach is Argentinean, Hernan Lequizamon, head coach for El Salvador since 2000.

WR: What does your current training day look like at present?
CV: I wake up at 4am, train, then go to class at 7am and again train in the afternoon. My day finishes at 8pm. By then I’m really tired.

WR: Do you plan to race this year?
CV: Yes, at the end of 2009 on Lake Ilopando in San Salvador. If everything goes well I will participate.
 
WR: Do you row in a single out of choice or because of the number of rowers in El Salvador?
CV: I was forced to row in the single since I did not have other females to row with. I do like team boats, but now there are still not enough females to row with.

WR: Will you be following the World Cup season?
CV: Even though I am not participating in the World Cup, I read the results on the FISA webpage. It fascinates me.
 
WR: Do you keep an eye on what your competition is doing?
CV: I get nervous when competing. I tend to plan a regatta, but when I have to do it for El Salvador, the nervousness vanishes.

WR: What race are you the most proud of?
CV: My first World Championships, in 2005. It was amazing, even though my results were not.
 

OTHER ATHLETES OF THE MONTH

Browse below to discover athletes who have been previously featured as World Rowing Athletes of the Month.

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