María Sara Grippoli

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María Sara Grippoli Gagliardo (born 28 December 2004)[1] is a Uruguayan taekwondo practitioner. She qualified for the 2024 Summer Olympics and was named her country's flag bearer. She is the first Olympic taekwondo practitioner from Uruguay.

María Sara Grippoli
Grippoli in 2024
Personal information
Born (2004-12-28) 28 December 2004 (age 19)
Montevideo, Uruguay
EducationUniversidad de la Empresa
Sport
Country Uruguay
SportTaekwondo
Weight class49 kg

Biography

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Grippoli learned taekwondo at the Lee Academy aged five, but did not begin fighting competitively until 2016.[2] Her two sisters are taekwondo practitioners as well.[2] By 2019, Grippoli had become a member of the national team.[1] She competed at the 2022 South American Youth Games in the 49 kg category and won the bronze medal.[2]

Grippoli began competing in senior competitions later that year, participating at that year's Pan American Taekwondo Championships.[1][3] By June 2023, she was ranked 48th globally in her category.[4] That month, she competed at the World Taekwondo Championships and placed 17th in her division.[4][5] She then won bronze at the Argentina Open in September 2023 and competed at the Pan American Games, ultimately placing fifth after losing the bronze medal match.[2][4]

 
Grippoli demonstrates a kick on Desayunos informales in 2024

Grippoli is coached by Uruguayan former taekwondo practitioner Mayko Votta, who competed at the 2007 Pan American Games.[6] In 2024, she won bronze medals at the Pan American Championships and at the Rio Open tournament.[3] She also won gold at the 2024 Pan American Taekwondo Olympic Qualification Tournament, thus qualifying her for the 2024 Summer Olympics.[6][7] She became the first Olympic taekwondo practitioner in Uruguayan history and was chosen her country's flag bearer at the opening ceremony.[1][4]

Grippoli studies engineering at the Universidad de la Empresa on a scholarship.[6]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d Sobrero, Alberto (11 April 2024). "María Sara Grippoli, la joven que llevó al taekwondo uruguayo a los Juegos Olímpicos: "Sueño con pelearlos"" [María Sara Grippoli, the young woman who brought Uruguayan taekwondo to the Olympic Games: “I dream of fighting them”]. El País (in Spanish).
  2. ^ a b c d "María Sara Grippoli, la taekwondista uruguaya que hizo historia e irá a París 2024" [María Sara Grippoli, the Uruguayan taekwondo player who made history and will go to Paris 2024]. Montevideo.com.uy (in Spanish). 10 April 2024.
  3. ^ a b "Grippoli Gagliardo, Maria Sara". TaekwondoData.com.
  4. ^ a b c d "Juegos Olímpicos 2024: Emiliano Lasa y Sara Grippoli son los abanderados de Uruguay" [Olympics 2024: Emiliano Lasa and Sara Grippoli are the flags of Uruguay]. El Observador (in Spanish). 8 July 2024.
  5. ^ Laca, Adriana (31 May 2024). "Taekwondo: María Sara Grippoli debutó con triunfo y llegó hasta segunda ronda en el Mundial" [Taekwondo: María Sara Grippoli debuted with victory and reached the second round in the World Cup] (in Spanish). Tenfield.
  6. ^ a b c "¡Batacazo! María Sara Grippoli se clasificó al taekwondo de París 2024 e hizo historia en el deporte uruguayo" [Bump! María Sara Grippoli qualified for the Paris 2024 taekwondo and made history in Uruguayan sport]. El País (in Spanish). 9 April 2024.
  7. ^ "Sara Grippoli oro en taekwondo en Argentina y se va a Corea del Sur para preparar los Juegos Olímpicos" [Sara Grippoli won gold in taekwondo in Argentina and is going to South Korea to prepare for the Olympic Games]. El Observador (in Spanish). 2 June 2024.