Paula Torres darns and patches her shoes to stay active in highly competitive sports

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There is nothing to stop Paula Torres in her dream of consolidating herself in high performance and competing in the Olympic Games. Not even the clothing. This Friday, December 17, she trained with patched shoes. It is a reality experienced by most athletes who do not have state support or public or private companies.

"What I've been doing lately is patching over and over again," says the Marketing Technologist, who graduated from the Instituto Superior Sudamericano. Depending on the daily mileage and the type of terrain, a shoe lasts between four to six months, however, to replace it it takes about 160 dollars.

Having no resources, "we have to see how to continue training," says the 21-year-old athlete while she shows the areas that she had the shoes that she bought more than two years ago repaired. The darning or patches are imperceptible from a distance or when the athlete is in motion.

"When you have results, public companies start to support you and I don't think that should be the methodology," says Torres after calling on private companies to support the athlete, either as part of their social responsibility or to be a beneficiary. of the tax incentive law.

Weeks ago, the sports minister, Sebastián Palacios, mentioned that companies that support athletes, sports programs or projects, will be able to deduct not 100% but an additional 150% of the value invested in income tax.

Torres represented the country at the Youth Pan American Games in Cali and next January 8th she will compete in the National Race Walking Championship in Machala, a qualifier for the South American Championship in Lima scheduled for the first days of February.

Her partner Saúl Wamputsrik will also be there, who highlights the support of his parents, friends, relatives and “good-hearted people” to stay in the sport. “The truth is, most of the things I have have been given away. I have not invested in clothes because I have preferred to invest in other things that can be more useful to me, such as shoes, moisturizers, serums, rehabilitation, physiotherapy…”.

Wamputsrik received support as part of the Young Promises Project of the Ecuadorian Olympic Committee, today he does not know if the plan is still valid. "Even if we don't have support, we manage to have what we need, but more is always needed." (BST)-(D)

Azuayos qualified for the Machala National

U16 Ladies: Dayanna Barreto, Maria Elena Portilla, Camila Quito

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U16 Men: Juan Pintado, Oscar García, Sebastián Barrera.

U18 Ladies: Daniela Litardo, Manuela Piñacela, Tania Hugo.

U18 boys: Alejandro Guillermo, Jonnathan López.

U20 Ladies: Sara Encalada, Melissa Quituisaca.

U20 Boys: Saul Wamputsrik, Samuel Aldas, Edison Ayabaca.

Senior 20 km Ladies: Paula Torres, Catalina Vega, María Ángeles Rodríguez.

Senior 20 km Men: Daniel Pintado, Bryan Muñoz.

Senior 35 km Ladies: Paola Pérez, Magaly Bonilla, Nataly León.

Senior 35 km men: To be defined.

^{Source: Juan Chocho Sanmartin}