Erika Rabara is a famous Colombian actress and one of the few women to have appeared in more than one Hollywood film. But this is not your typical star. This is a woman who has overcome physical disabilities to achieve success in her chosen profession. The woman you see before you is Erika Rabara, and she is a true representative of strength and endurance – both on and off the mat. Born with physical deformities that affected her growth, Erika was an avid athlete as a child, but at an early age, her path was blocked by her nationality, which dictated that she had to become a national or a resident of Colombia to be eligible for Olympic training.
Despite being a national, Erika was denied her chance due to her height. She is what is known as a ‘mixed breed’ – meaning that her parents were not necessarily from Colombian descent, but rather from Europe. In order for a mixed breed to gain acceptance in American gyms, it has to prove that both parents have a true genetic connection to that ancestry. As a result, Erika’s biological parents were not pure Colombian descent, and as such, were rejected from the Olympic training team. However, Erika’s determination and hard work to be eligible for the Olympic Games made her realize that if she did not make it to those events, then perhaps other barriers would be overcome.
Once Erika Rabara qualified for the Athens Olympics, all the obstacles seemed to disappear. In the swimming competition, she came in first place, setting a new record. This just confirmed to Erika that the obstacles were not what hindered her from reaching her goal of achieving Olympic glory. What matters in the end is that Erika Rabara became an Olympic champion and made history in the process. Now, instead of focusing on the past, we can now focus on the future. Let’s hope that somebody will follow in her footsteps and be able to share in the achievements of Erika Rabara and all of the other great athletes that make our country proud.