PLIEGO Paola

Personal Information

Occupation Athlete

Languages English, Spanish

License number 27091994004

Club

Upcoming Events

Sport Specific Information

When and where did you begin this sport? She began fencing at age five.

Why this sport? She and her sisters became interested in fencing after watching a scene from the film 'The Parent Trap'. "It caught my attention that the girl looked super strong and in control of the situation, she seemed super elegant and pretty."

Handedness Right

General Interest

Hobbies Cooking, reading. (meikki.mx, 17 Aug 2020)

Most influential person in career Her family. (meikki.mx, 17 Aug 2020)

Superstitions / Rituals / Beliefs "I like to arrive early to the competition, with my current coach we have to arrive before everyone else, he likes to be the first. When I arrive I take off my shoes and walk around the competition place with socks, it's a bit weird." (meikki.mx, 17 Aug 2020)

Sporting philosophy / motto "Do not give up. You gradually see your dreams fulfilled if you work for it." (eluniversalqueretaro.mx, 30 May 2014)

Awards and honours She won the 2014 Queretaro State Sports Award in Mexico. (plazadearmas.com.mx, 18 Nov 2014)

Milestones She became the first fencer representing Mexico to win a gold medal at the Pan American championships by claiming victory in individual sabre at the 2017 edition of the tournament in Montreal, QC, Canada. (SportsDeskOnline, 07 Jul 2017; amqueretaro.com, 15 Jun 2017)

Famous relatives Her sister Luisa Fernanda Herrera Lara has also represented Uzbekistan in fencing, and won gold in individual sabre at the 2023 Asian Junior Championships in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. Her other sister Holda has coached fencing at state level in Mexico. (SportsDeskOnline, 15 Mar 2023; olympic.uz, 07 Mar 2023; espndeportes.espn.com, 04 Mar 2023; plazadearmas.com.mx, 16 Nov 2014)

Other information FROM MEXICO TO UZBEKISTAN
In 2019 she switched from representing Mexico and began competing for Uzbekistan. "I have decided to represent another country, which kindly opened their doors to me and gave me the chance to fight for my dreams and goals." (heraldo.com.mx, 02 Jul 2019)

RIO DREAM OVER
In October 2016 she was cleared of all wrongdoing by the World Anti Doping Agency [WADA] after a positive test she gave at the 2016 Pan American Championships in Panama City, Panama, resulted in her withdrawal from the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. Although initial analysis of the samples had come back positive, the International Fencing Federation [FIE] asked for further tests to be carried out at a lab in Cologne, Germany, with the results negative this time. "I will pick myself up and will fight to recover all that I lost." (wada-ama.org, 24 Nov 2016; espn.com.mx, 04 Nov 2016; excelsior.com.mx, 14 Oct 2016; Twitter profile, 13 Oct 2016)