Katherinne Wollermann

Started: She took up Para canoe at age 20 at the Laguna Grande lake in San Pedro de la Paz, Chile. (latercera.com, 23 May 2015) Reason: She was encouraged to try Para sport at a rehabilitation centre. "When I'm in the boat I feel like I'm walking again. I can move wherever I want, like everyone else. I always say that every stroke is a step. The kayak gave me back my life and my legs." (sabes.cl, 04 Dec 2021; mujerimpacta.cl, 27 Mar 2017; latercera.com, 23 May 2015) Ambition: To compete at the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris. (Instagram profile, 31 Aug 2023) Milestones: She won Chile's first canoe sprint medal at the Paralympic Games when she claimed bronze in the women's KL1 200m event at the 2020 Games in Tokyo. (SportsDeskOnline, 22 May 2024) She became the first Para sprint paddler representing Chile to win a gold medal at the world championships when she finished in first place in the women's KL1 200m at the 2024 edition of the tournament in Szeged, Hungary. (SportsDeskOnline, 22 May 2024) Awards: She was named Female Para Athlete of the Year for 2023 by the Chilean Circle of Sports Journalists. (elagora.net, 20 Dec 2023) In 2023 and 2022 she was named Para Athlete of the Year in the Biobio region of Chile. In 2022 she was also named Para Canoe Athlete of the Year in Biobio. (sabes.cl, 24 Dec 2023; biobiodeportivo.cl, 29 Dec 2022) She took part in the torch relay ahead of the 2023 Pan American Games in Santiago, Chile. Her leg of the relay was in Concepcion, Chile. (senadis.gob.cl, 08 Oct 2023) She was named the Para Canoe Athlete of the Year by the Chilean Circle of Sports Journalists in 2016, 2017, 2019, and 2021. (chile.as.com, 08 Dec 2021; Instagram profile, 21 Dec 2019; radio.uchile.cl, 12 Dec 2017; mindep.cl, 20 Dec 2016) She was named the 2016 Athlete of the Year in Chiguayante, Chile. (chiguayante.cl, 27 Dec 2016) Additional Info: GENDER EQUALITY CAMPAIGNER She is a motivational speaker for gender equality in Chile. She was presented with an award from the National Service for Women and Gender Equality, a department of the Chilean government. "Women are greatly disadvantaged even today, not only at the disability level but also at the able-bodied level. I open a door for all those girls and women who may not do anything because maybe their parents or family deprives them. Or maybe they do nothing because they are simply not given the opportunities. I think there are so many issues and taboos or prejudices that need to be brought out." (paralympic.org, 23 Mar 2020) ATHLETE REPRESENTATIVE In 2019 she was elected as the representative of Para canoe on the Pan American Canoe Federation [COPAC] Athletes Commission. (copaconline.com, 14 Aug 2019)