The Olympic champion shared her personal and sporting journey, marked by great successes and challenges, with students from the island
Olympic badminton champion Carolina Marín took centre stage on Monday 19 October at the first event in the ‘Referentes que inspiran’ (Role Models Who Inspire) project, held at the Auditorio Insular in Puerto del Rosario with pupils from schools across Fuerteventura taking part. The event, organised by the Cabildo de Fuerteventura’s Education department, gave students the chance to hear first-hand the story of one of Spanish sport’s great figures and to discover, through her experience, the value of perseverance, mental strength and the ability to overcome difficulties.
The initiative aims to bring young people closer to role models whose personal and professional journeys stand as examples of effort, leadership and resilience, offering experiences that go beyond sport and provide lessons that can be applied to everyday life.
The island’s Education and Youth Councillor, Adargoma Hernández, highlighted the educational value of sharing real-life experiences with pupils. “We want our students to discover that success doesn’t always follow a straightforward path, that making mistakes or facing obstacles is part of learning, and that believing in your own abilities is essential to keep moving forward,” Hernández explained, adding that “having role models who convey these messages from their own experience allows us to connect with young people in a much closer and more meaningful way.”
During the event, Carolina Marín spoke about aspects of her sporting and personal journey, marked by historic achievements but also by injuries and moments of great difficulty that have tested her physical and emotional strength. Her experience provided an opportunity to discuss issues such as the importance of staying motivated, managing pressure, believing in oneself and developing a positive attitude towards challenges.
Olympic champion at Rio de Janeiro 2016, three-time world champion and multiple European champion, the Huelva-born athlete has marked a turning point in the history of international badminton. Beyond her titles, however, her career has become an example of resilience, discipline and determination, particularly meaningful for younger generations.
Stories that educate beyond the classroom
The ‘Referentes que inspiran’ project is based on the belief that personal experiences can become powerful educational tools. Through encounters with leading figures from sport and other fields, it seeks to promote values such as the culture of effort, equal opportunities, inclusion, leadership and emotional wellbeing.
This first event focuses on the importance of offering pupils positive role models they can identify with, people who show that achieving a goal requires not only consistency but also learning to manage frustration, adapt to change and find new opportunities in the face of difficulty.
Initiatives of this kind aim to extend learning spaces beyond the classroom and foster a well-rounded education that addresses not only academic knowledge but also the emotional, social and personal development of students.
