Teresa Silva is a

Spanish Spanish might refer to: * Items from or related to Spain: **Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain **Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many countries in the Americas **Spanish cuisine **Spanish history **Spanish culture ...

elite sportswoman with disabilities, founder and president of Fundación También. She has also made a name for herself in disciplines such as skiing and adapted sailing, in which she has been Champion of Spain and Regional Champion, respectively. Creator of the first female adapted alpine sit skiing competition team in Spain in 2007. President of the Spanish 2.4 mR Sailing Association. She is also a recognised speaker in the world of disability and adapted sports.

Skiing and sailing

A great fan of sports in general and airborne sports in particular, Teresa's life took a turn when in 1989 she had a

paragliding Paragliding is the recreational and competitive adventure sport of flying paragliders: lightweight, free-flying, foot-launched glider aircraft with no rigid primary structure. The pilot sits in a harness or in a cocoon-like 'pod' suspended be ...

accident during training for the Austrian World Championship, causing

paraplegia Paraplegia, or paraparesis, is an impairment in motor or sensory function of the lower extremities. The word comes from Ionic Greek () "half-stricken". It is usually caused by spinal cord injury or a congenital condition that affects the neura ...

that binds her forever to a wheelchair. After nine months of rehabilitation at the National Hospital of Paraplegics in

Toledo Toledo most commonly refers to: * Toledo, Spain, a city in Spain * Province of Toledo, Spain * Toledo, Ohio, a city in the United States Toledo may also refer to: Places Belize * Toledo District * Toledo Settlement Bolivia * Toledo, Or ...

, she began to face all the difficulties that people with disabilities encounter in their day-to-day lives. These were difficult times, but she did not give up her efforts to return to her life as a journalist and innovative businesswoman in air sports. In April 1998, Teresa was able to start adapted

alpine skiing Alpine skiing, or downhill skiing, is the pastime of sliding down snow-covered slopes on skis with fixed-heel Ski binding, bindings, unlike other types of skiing (Cross-country skiing, cross-country, Telemark skiing, Telemark, or ski jumping) ...

and in January 2000 she created the Santiveri Adaptive Ski Exhibition and Competition Team. Following the success of this experience, a much more ambitious challenge is proposed: to achieve the social inclusion of people with disabilities through sport. An idea that was realized in 2000 when she founded Fundación También. Since then, she has dedicated herself to adapted sport: cycling, skiing,

canoeing Canoeing is an activity which involves paddling a canoe with a single-bladed paddle. In some parts of Europe, canoeing refers to both canoeing and kayaking, with a canoe being called an 'open canoe' or Canadian. A few of the recreational ...

, sailing, paddle tennis, diving, hiking, ice skating ... activities in which sport and inclusion go hand in hand. Today, more than 8,500 beneficiaries enjoy adapted sports, in contact with nature and together with their family and friends thanks to Fundación También. Alpine skiing has been one of the disciplines in which Teresa Silva has shined, creating in 2007 the first Women's adapted alpine sit skiing Team, whose patron was the olympic athlete

Blanca Fernández Ochoa Blanca Fernández Ochoa (22 April 1963 – 23 August 2019)

, and with members such as

Irene Villa Irene Villa (born 21 November 1978) is a Spanish author and journalist who became a political figure after losing both legs in an ETA (separatist group), ETA attack in Madrid at the age of 12. She was particularly vocal in her opposition to José ...

, Nathalie Carpanedo, Mariluz del Río, Vicky González, Sandra Cavallé, Begoña Gerboles and

Esther Peris Esther Peris (born November 28, 1980) is a Spanish paraplegic who has competed in table tennis and para-alpine skiing at the national level. Table tennis Peris is an adaptive table tennis player, and a member of Escuela de Tenis de Mesa Adaptado d ...

. Thanks to this, the historic milestone of creating a women's category in the Spanish Championships was achieved. Throughout her career participating in national and international competitions she has won numerous medals, proclaimed Absolute Champion of Spain in 2011. Sailing is another of the sports in which she has excelled, becoming regional champion in 2011 and 2012. Throughout her career she has received important awards such as: Siete Estrellas del Deporte Comunidad de Madrid, CERMI of CAM, International Madrid Woman's Week, Award ANOME, Women's Council Award of the Municipality of Madrid Participating in We create Spaces of Equality, TOP 100 Mujeres Líderes en España 2012, El Bronx Discapacidad y Deporte, Te lo Mereces from La Barandilla Association or Sport Resilience from IER.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Silva, Teresa Living people Spanish female alpine skiers Spanish para-alpine skiers Spanish disabled table tennis players 1982 births People from Vigo Sportspeople from Vigo 21st-century Spanish sportswomen