Sonia Abejón facts for kids
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| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Nationality | Spanish |
| Born | 1 August 1985 Madrid, Spain |
| Height | 1.69 m (5 ft 7 in) |
| Weight | 48 kg (106 lb) |
| Sport | |
| Sport | Gymnastics |
Sonia Abejón Esteban (born August 1, 1985) is a Spanish gymnast. She competed in the 2004 Summer Olympics. Today, she trains young gymnasts. She works at the San Fernando de Henares Rhythmic Gymnastics Club.
Contents
Sonia Abejón's Gymnastics Journey
Starting Young: Junior Career
Sonia began rhythmic gymnastics at age 5. She started at the Torrejón School in Torrejón de Ardoz, Madrid. When she was 13, she joined the C.G.R.D. San Fernando club.
She quickly showed her talent. In 1997, she won a silver medal in rope. She also earned bronze medals in freehand and clubs. This was at the Spanish Championship in Barcelona. In 1999, she won another bronze medal. This time it was in ribbon, at the Spanish Championship in Zaragoza.
Becoming a Senior Gymnast
In January 2001, Sonia was chosen for the Spanish national rhythmic gymnastics team. This was a big step! She trained about 8 hours every day. Her training took place at the High Performance Center in Madrid.
Her first big competition was the European Championship in Geneva. The Spanish team finished 7th in the All-Around competition. They also placed 7th in the 10 clubs event. Later in 2002, she competed at the World Championship in New Orleans. The team finished 9th in the All-Around there.
In 2003, the team won three gold medals at a tournament in Madeira. They also earned three bronze medals in Russia. At the European Championship in Riesa, they placed 6th. This was in the All-Around competition.
A very important event was the World Championship in Budapest. The team again finished 6th in the All-Around. This high finish helped them qualify for the 2004 Athens Olympic Games.
The Olympic Dream: Athens 2004
In 2004, the team continued to prepare for the Olympics. They won silver medals in Madeira. They also competed in World Cup events.
Finally, in August 2004, Sonia participated in the Olympic Games in Athens. This was her only time competing in the Olympics. The Spanish team did very well. They reached the final by placing 8th in the qualification round. On August 28, they finished 7th in the final. This earned Sonia an Olympic diploma, which is a special award.
Life After Competition
Retirement from Elite Gymnastics
After the Athens Olympics, Sonia retired from the national team. However, she didn't stop gymnastics completely. From 2006 to 2010, she competed again. She was part of the District III Club of Alcalá de Henares.
With this club, she won a bronze medal in 2006. This was at the Spanish Group Championship. She also won another bronze in 2008.
Coaching and New Paths
After leaving the national team, Sonia explored different jobs. She worked as a security guard and a flight attendant. But her passion for gymnastics brought her back. She became a rhythmic gymnastics coach. She has a high level of coaching certification.
Since 2009, Sonia has been a coach. She is also the technical director of the San Fernando de Henares Rhythmic Gymnastics Club. This is the same club where she trained as a young gymnast. Another former teammate, Marta Linares, also coaches there.
To honor her achievements, a sports center was named after her. The M4 Sports Center in Torrejón de Ardoz received her name on March 23, 2015.
See also
In Spanish: Sonia Abejón para niños
