María Pía Van Oordt, PUCP student, will represent Peru at the Olympic Games in Tokyo

When she was eleven years old, Maria Pia Van Oordt's parents, a student of political science and government, encouraged her to choose a sport to do in her free time. She didn't like running and didn't want to do much physical exertion, so she thought sailing could be a peaceful sport. "Although it wasn't, I don't regret it. Sailing has become my life's career," she says.

That's how she started practising at the Club Regatas Lima. When the club's coaches saw her potential, they invited her to join the national pre-selection and then the national team. She now sails a 49ER FX, a two-man sailing boat. In fact, if this modality arrived in Peru it was thanks to María Pía and her teammate Diana Tudela, who inaugurated it and have set a precedent for future sailing generations.

Tokyo 2021 Olympic Games qualification

In December 2019, the young sailor was in New Zealand participating in the World Sailing Championships, where the best teams were competing for Olympic spots. When her coach told her that she had qualified, she still had to compete and did not assimilate her victory until she returned to Peru.

"I take the qualification as a responsibility. It's as if I've been hired for a job, and I have to be at my best and do my best," he says.

Between classes and sport

María Pía is taking second and third cycle courses in Political Science and Government at the Faculty of Social Sciences. Although she decided to leave this semester to dedicate 100% of her time to her preparation for the Olympic Games, she hopes to return next semester and do an exchange.

As with many qualified athletes, the pandemic affected her training, as she spent four months away from the water. "I was only doing physical exercises in the gym, but it wasn't the same," she says. Eventually, she managed to get special permission to travel to Portugal to train and they closed the borders when she wanted to return. Her plan was to stay for a month, but it ended up being three.

"It was emotionally difficult because I was far from home and I had to concentrate, but I could see that my country was facing the pandemic. At the same time, the political scenario was getting worse and worse: I couldn't go to the marches, and I couldn't vote," says María Pía, who, in line with her career, keeps a close eye on the situation in Peru.

Competition ahead

All this effort and the months away from home have not been in vain. Today, Maria Pia feels ready for the Tokyo Olympics. Although her competitors are older and much more experienced, this does not intimidate her. On the contrary, it motivates her to try harder.

"I want to thank the PUCP because it has always helped me. My teachers have understood me with the sport, especially when I've been out of the country competing or training," she concludes. We will surely hear good news from her very soon.