Leonor Angelica Espinoza Carranza

Started: She took up the sport in 2017. (perudeportes.pe, 06 Feb 2019) Reason: She signed up for a taekwondo school after her coach invited her to try. Her progression was good enough to be admitted to the Videna High Performance Centre in Peru. (Athlete, 23 Aug 2021) Milestones: She became the first Para taekwondo athlete representing Peru to claim gold at the Paralympic Games by winning the women's K44 -49kg category at the 2020 Games in Tokyo. (SportsDeskOnline, 30 Nov 2023) Awards: In 2021 she was named Female Para Athlete of the Year by World Taekwondo. (peru21.pe, 11 Jan 2022) In 2021 she received the Order of Merit for Women from the president of Peru. (infobae.com, 23 Nov 2023; Diario La Voz de Ayacucho Facebook page, 10 Sep 2021) She and Para athlete Efrain Sotacuro were selected as Peru's flag bearers for the 2020 Paralympic Games in Tokyo. (abc.com, 22 Aug 2021) She was flag bearer for Peru at the opening ceremony of the 2019 Parapan American Games in Lima, Peru. (paralympic.org, 30 Aug 2019) Additional Info: BREAK AND RETURN She took a break from Para taekwondo after competing at the 2020 Paralympic Games in Tokyo. She returned to training in mid-2022 and says a disappointing performance upon her return to competition at an event in Brazil motivated her to refocus on the sport. "I had lost my physique, my technique, my tactics. Losing that competition made me reconsider and was a new starting point. It made me reflect and helped me mature, make decisions, obey and trust my work." (elcomercio.pe, 11 Jan 2024)