World top-10 artistic swimmer with 17+ years of experience, trained by former Olympic coaches. I teach swimming for children and adults, aquatic conditioning, and aquatic therapy —with the same elite

Find out more about Maria

• What age did you start playing sport? Tell us about this time or moment in your life.

  Since before I can remember my mother has taken me to a pool, initially with the aim of transmitting the passion she felt for water. Then when I was 5 years old and I was in swimming class I saw for the first time a synchronized swimmer and I remember saying to my mom "I want to be like her" she was combed, made up, wore a shiny bathing dress, He'd get headlong into the water and swim to the rhythm of the music. From that moment I knew I would never want to get out of a pool

• What are your favourite sports; those that you practice at a high level, a simple hobby, and a sport that you'd still like to discover?

  My favorite sport is synchronized swimming, I was a national team in Colombia, I have been able to know much of the world thanks to synchronized swimming, I feel that it is not only my favorite sport, it is what I am. I currently practice racing swimming and I like to discover any other activity involving water.

• What gives you the motivation and passion to pursue your sport?

  I feel that I have a very deep connection with the water, I feel that the loss of gravity, the floating, the freedom of movement that allows me the water does not give me anything else. The hours in the pool are the hours that go faster. Swimming connects me, gives me health and allows me to enjoy being alive.

• Do you have a sporting achievement that you're particularly proud of?

  I was a Colombian national team for more than 10 years, participated in a swimming world in Russia, was a Bolivarian and South American champion, was a Pan-American medalist. I am really pleased to have represented my country and to have given him so many achievements

• How have your achievements and challenges made you a better sportsperson?

  Sport made me who I am. I become a disciplined and responsible person, teach me to continue even when there is no motivation, teach me the true meaning of the word team and the importance of having the right people by your side, teach me to share with the other, taught me to lose several times and taught me the value of victory altogether. Sport taught me that I have the power to become whoever I want if I really dream it and work for it

• If you had to go for a jog with a famous athlete, who would you choose? And what questions would you ask them?

  With the whole Russian national team, with Natalia ishchenko. And I'd like to hear her talk about how she feels when she swims. I'd like you to tell me about your passion for sport

• How do you help people stay motivated?

  I like to talk about love, my main goal is that people fall in love with water, fall in love with the benefits that water can give them, fall in love with their process. I like to be in touch with them, talk to them, ask them what they think and feel, know if they are frustrated with learning because only knowing them is possible to motivate them with the right learning routines, with the topics we learn in each class and with the right words.

• What makes you a Superprof in sports?

  First the passion I feel for swimming, second the mission I have to get more people to enjoy water every day and fall in love with it, third my knowledge in aquatic teaching methods, fourth the number of people who have managed to help with their sports goals and finally my extensive sports career