 |
|
| Paula
LEITON |
| Sport |
Water Polo |
| NOC |
Spain
|
| Gender | Women |
| Born | 27 Apr 2000
in Terrassa, ESP |
| Height | 1.86 m |
| Weight | 100 kg |
|
|
|
|
|
Sport Specific Information |
Club / Team |
CN Terrassa: Spain |
Why this sport? |
She was identified by a water polo coach, Raul Mesa, when she practised swimming. He advised her mother to enrol her in water polo. |
Name of coach |
Xavier Perez [club]; Miguel Angel Oca [national], ESP |
Preferred position / style / stance / technique |
Centre forward |
Handedness |
Right |
When and where did you begin this sport? |
She took up the sport in Terrassa, Spain. |
International Debut |
Year |
2015 |
Competing for |
Spain |
Opponent |
Canada |
Tournament |
Friendly Match |
Further Personal Information |
Occupation |
Athlete, Student |
Languages |
Catalan, Spanish |
General Interest |
Other information |
YOUNG STAR
She started training with the first team of CN Terrassa when she was 11, and by the 2012/13 season, at age 12, she made her debut in the top tier of the Spanish water polo league. She was called up to the national team in 2015, at age 15, and a year later she played at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. "Everything has gone so fast. It's amazing to look back and see how far I've come." (mundodeportivo.com, 22 Jul 2015; deportes.elpais.com, 14 Jul 2015; elmundo.es, 26 Jul 2017) |
Awards and honours |
She was part of the Spanish national team that received an award from the Spanish Sports Press Association [AEPD] in recognition of their triumph at the 2020 European Championships in Budapest, Hungary. (aepde.org, 20 Sep 2021; SportsDeskOnline, 30 Dec 2021)
She was named Best Athlete in the municipality of Terrassa, Spain, in 2017 and 2019. (Canal Terrassa YouTube channel, 17 Mar 2018, 07 Mar 2020)
She was named to the All Star team at the 2017 World Championships in Budapest, Hungary. (fina.org, 28 Jul 2017)
She was a recipient of the City of Terrassa Medal of Sport Spirit in Spain, in recognition of her competing at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. (monterrassa.cat, 23 Nov 2021; terrassa.cat, 30 Sep 2016) |
Olympic Games |
| Rank |
Year |
Venue |
Event |
Result |
| 2 |
2021 |
Tokyo, JPN |
Team |
|
| 5 |
2016 |
Rio de Janeiro, BRA |
Team |
|
World Championship |
| Rank |
Year |
Venue |
Event |
Result |
| 3 |
2024 |
Doha, QAT |
Team |
|
| 2 |
2023 |
Fukuoka, JPN |
Team |
|
| 5 |
2022 |
Budapest, HUN |
Team |
|
| 2 |
2019 |
Gwangju, KOR |
Team |
|
| 2 |
2017 |
Budapest, HUN |
Team |
|
| 7 |
2015 |
Kazan, RUS |
Team |
|
World Cup |
| Rank |
Year |
Venue |
Event |
Result |
| 3 |
2023 |
Long Beach, CA, USA |
Team |
|
| 4 |
2018 |
Surgut, RUS |
Team |
|
European Championship |
| Rank |
Year |
Venue |
Event |
Result |
| 2 |
2024 |
Eindhoven, NED |
Team |
|
| 1 |
2022 |
Split, CRO |
Team |
|
| 1 |
2020 |
Budapest, HUN |
Team |
|
| 3 |
2018 |
Barcelona, ESP |
Team |
|
| |
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