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|
| Cecilia
BIAGIOLI |
| Sport |
Open Water Swimming |
| NOC |
Argentina
|
| Gender | Women |
| Born | 03 Jan 1985
in Córdoba, ARG |
| Height | 1.67 m |
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Further Personal Information |
Residence |
Córdoba, ARG |
General Interest |
Hero / Idol |
Argentinian basketball players Marcelo Milanesio and Manu Ginobili, Argentinian swimmers Jose Meolans and Georgina Bardach. (fen.org.ar, 10 Aug 2006) |
Sport Specific Information |
Name of coach |
Claudio Biagioli [brother], ARG, from 2008 |
When and where did you begin this sport? |
She began swimming at age seven at the Taborin School in Argentina. She took up open water swimming in 2009. |
General Interest |
Nicknames |
Ceci, Cecy (Instagram profile, 16 Feb 2020; Twitter profile, 16 Feb 2020; lavoz.com.ar, 22 Jun 2021) |
Further Personal Information |
Family |
Husband Fernando, son Joaquin [2013] |
General Interest |
Injuries |
She sustained a cartilage injury in the inner portion of her left shoulder in March 2017. (mundod.lavoz.com.ar, 22 Jul 2017)
In June 2016 she suffered a bout of hypothermia during the 2016 Olympic Games qualifying event in Setubal, Portugal, forcing her to withdraw from the race. (lavoz.com.ar, 11 Jun 2016) |
Further Personal Information |
Occupation |
Athlete |
Languages |
Spanish |
Sport Specific Information |
Why this sport? |
She initially went to the pool at age six, but she was afraid to swim, so gave up the sport. She returned to swimming at age seven. |
General Interest |
Sporting philosophy / motto |
"Fight for what really fills your soul, and have the virtue of knowing how to wait, because everything that has to be, will be." (Instagram profile, 20 Jun 2021) |
Milestones |
She became the first female athlete to represent Argentina at five Olympic Games when she competed at the 2020 Games in Tokyo. (SportsDeskOnline, 11 Jan 2021)
At age 15 years and 262 days, she was the youngest member of the Argentinian team across all sports at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney when she competed in the 800m freestyle heats. (tv10cordoba YouTube.com, 28 Feb 2019; SportsDeskOnline, 29 Jul 2019; 2000 Olympic Games results book, 01 Jan 2001) |
Other information |
MOTHERHOOD
She says she has found combining swimming and motherhood difficult at times, but that her son Joaquin has served as extra motivation to continue competing. "In 2013 I had Joaco and after having him I asked myself if I could continue being an athlete, because I didn't want to put aside his upbringing, I wanted to always be present. It was hard to get back to performing at a high level and nowadays it's hard to travel, it's not easy. Joaquin is six [speaking in 2019], he understands me, he knows what I do and that helps a lot. Now he is older, he understands what mum is doing and gives me encouragement to continue, he motivates me." (tycsports.com, 30 Sep 2019, 21 May 2020)
SWITCH TO OPEN WATER SWIMMING
She competed in the pool at three consecutive editions of the Olympic Games between 2000 and 2008, before deciding to take up open water swimming due to motivational issues. She began training with her brother Claudio following the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing with a view to focusing on open water swimming, and competed in both the pool and open water at the 2012 Olympic Games in London. "In Beijing [2008 Games] it was quite difficult. I arrived at a time of stagnation and with a lack of motivation. I could not find the way to continue growing. Open water swimming was a little complicated in the beginning due to the sibling relationship. But we both grew up and I began competing in open water. It was not a good experience at first because I had not thought about taking it up, but then I got hooked and began competing up until 2011 when I started having good results. I qualified in 10km [open water] for the 2012 Olympic Games in London and later I made the qualifying standard for the 800m freestyle [pool] with a national record. The nice thing about open water swimming is that many things happen during a race." (tycsports.com, 21 May 2020)
OLYMPIC FAMILY
The 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo were a family affair for her, as she travelled to Japan with her brother Claudio as her coach, as well as her sister Romina, who represented Argentina in triathlon. "Romi was able to qualify before [me] and I was missing, so I had a little bit of pressure! But we finally made it happen. It's a dream come true, the three of us will be in Tokyo, it's incredible. And also this time I'm going to the Games being a mother, that has even more value.” (argentina.gob.ar, 23 Jun 2021) |
Other sports |
She represented Argentina in swimming at the 2000, 2004, 2008 and 2012 Olympic Games. (SportsDeskOnline, 28 Oct 2020) |
Famous relatives |
Her sister Romina has represented Argentina in triathlon. She competed at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, and the 2015 and 2019 Pan American Games. Her brother Claudio has also served as her open water swimming coach. (SportsDeskOnline, 11 Jan 2022; canalshowsport.com.ar, 06 Jan 2022; tycsports.com, 21 May 2020) |
Awards and honours |
In 2021 she received the Cordoba, Cradle of Champions Golden Award as Best Sportsperson in Cordoba province, Argentina, awarded by the province's Sports Journalists Circle. That year she was also the recipient of the Silver Condor award from the Cordoba Sports Agency as Best Amateur Female of the Year in the province, and was named Best Swimmer of the Year and Outstanding Athlete of the Year by the Cordoba Swimming Federation. (Instagram profile, 23 Dec 2021; prensa.cba.gov.ar, 16 Dec 2021; cpdcba.com.ar, 13 Dec 2021) |
Olympic Games |
| Rank |
Year |
Venue |
Event |
Result |
| 16 |
2012 |
London, ENG |
800m Freestyle |
8:33.97 |
| Heats |
2008 |
Beijing, CHN |
400m Freestyle |
4:19.85 |
| Heats |
2008 |
Beijing, CHN |
800m Freestyle |
8:50.18 |
| 22 |
2004 |
Athens, GRE |
400m Freestyle |
4:16.42 |
World Championships |
| Rank |
Year |
Venue |
Event |
Result |
| Heat |
2011 |
Shanghai, CHN |
1500m Freestyle |
DNS |
| Heat |
2011 |
Shanghai, CHN |
800m Freestyle |
8:44.01 |
| Heat |
2009 |
Rome, ITA |
400m Freestyle |
4:10.16 |
| Heat |
2009 |
Rome, ITA |
200m Freestyle |
2:01.35 |
| Heats |
2007 |
Melbourne, VIC, AUS |
400m Freestyle |
4:16.71 |
| Heats |
2007 |
Melbourne, VIC, AUS |
200m Freestyle |
2:04.24 |
| Heats |
2007 |
Melbourne, VIC, AUS |
100m Freestyle |
59.52 |
| 14 |
2005 |
Montreal, CAN |
400m Freestyle |
4:14.48 |
| Heat |
2005 |
Montreal, CAN |
1500m Freestyle |
17:01.73 |
| 19 |
2005 |
Montreal, CAN |
800m Freestyle |
8:48.85 |
| Heat |
2005 |
Montreal, CAN |
200m Freestyle |
2:02.69 |
| 20 |
2001 |
Fukuoka, JPN |
800m Freestyle |
8:54.00 |
| 23 |
2001 |
Fukuoka, JPN |
1500m Freestyle |
17:16.07 |
| 34 |
2001 |
Fukuoka, JPN |
400m Freestyle |
4:25.47 |
World Championships Short Course |
| Rank |
Year |
Venue |
Event |
Result |
| 17 |
2010 |
Dubai, UAE |
800m Freestyle |
8:38.06 |
| Heats |
2010 |
Dubai, UAE |
400m Freestyle |
4:09.29 |
| Heats |
2010 |
Dubai, UAE |
200m Freestyle |
1:59.47 |
| 22 |
2006 |
Shanghai, CHN |
200m Freestyle |
2:00.35 |
| 17 |
2006 |
Shanghai, CHN |
400m Freestyle |
4:11.00 |
| 14 |
2006 |
Shanghai, CHN |
800m Freestyle |
8:37.63 |
| 17 |
2004 |
Indianapolis, IN, USA |
200m Freestyle |
2:03.12 |
| 12 |
2004 |
Indianapolis, IN, USA |
400m Freestyle |
4:13.89 |
| 10 |
2004 |
Indianapolis, IN, USA |
800m Freestyle |
8:41.70 |
Pan American Games |
| Rank |
Year |
Venue |
Event |
Result |
| 5 |
2011 |
Guadalajara, MEX |
400m Freestyle |
4:15.41 |
| 6 |
2011 |
Guadalajara, MEX |
4 x 100m Freestyle Relay |
3:51.90 |
| 7 |
2007 |
Rio de Janeiro, BRA |
200m Freestyle |
2:04.10 |
| 6 |
2007 |
Rio de Janeiro, BRA |
400m Freestyle |
4:16.57 |
World Cup Short Course |
| Rank |
Year |
Venue |
Event |
Result |
| 26 |
2010 |
|
Overall |
|
| 2 |
2010 |
Rio de Janeiro, BRA |
800m Freestyle |
8:30.21 |
| 2 |
2010 |
Rio de Janeiro, BRA |
400m Freestyle |
4:08.33 |
World Championships |
| Rank |
Year |
Venue |
Event |
Result |
| |
2024 |
Doha, QAT |
10km |
DNF |
| 9 |
2024 |
Doha, QAT |
6km - Team Relay |
1:07:03.4 |
| 20 |
2023 |
Fukuoka, JPN |
10km |
2:03:47.2 |
| 12 |
2023 |
Fukuoka, JPN |
6km - Team Relay |
|
| 21 |
2017 |
Budapest, HUN |
10km |
2:02:23.6 |
| 13 |
2017 |
Budapest, HUN |
5km - Team Relay |
56:43.4 |
| 17 |
2015 |
Kazan, RUS |
10km |
1:58:55.7 |
| 13 |
2015 |
Kazan, RUS |
5km - Team Time Trial |
57:27.8 |
| 10 |
2011 |
Shanghai, CHN |
25km |
5:29:58.7 |
| 5 |
2011 |
Shanghai, CHN |
10km |
2:02:12.0 |
| 9 |
2011 |
Shanghai, CHN |
5km - Team Time Trial |
1:01:34.2 |
World Aquatics Open Water Swimming World Cup |
| Rank |
Year |
Venue |
Event |
Result |
| 51 |
2023 |
|
10km |
|
| 28 |
2023 |
Golfo Aranci, ITA |
10km |
1:59:19.5 |
| |
2023 |
Setúbal, POR |
10km |
DNF |
| |
2022 |
Paris, FRA |
10km |
DNF |
| |
2020 |
|
10km |
|
| 31 |
2020 |
Doha, QAT |
10km |
1:59:23.3 |
| 21 |
2019 |
|
10km |
|
| 13 |
2019 |
Balatonfüred, HUN |
10km |
1:58:56.4 |
| 7 |
2019 |
Setúbal, POR |
10km |
1:41:30.00 |
| 27 |
2017 |
|
10km |
|
| 22 |
2017 |
Abu Dhabi, UAE |
10km |
1:54:07.7 |
| 9 |
2017 |
Viedma, ARG |
10km |
2:12:34.48 |
| 9 |
2016 |
Viedma, ARG |
10km |
2:07:35 |
| 12 |
2015 |
Hong Kong, CHN |
10km |
2:05:32.40 |
| 2 |
2015 |
Qiandaohu, CHN |
10km |
2:03:39 |
| 5 |
2015 |
San Miguel de Cozumel, MEX |
10km |
1:48:07.00 |
| 3 |
2015 |
Viedma, ARG |
10km |
2:03:09.54 |
| 3 |
2014 |
Lac Magoc, QC, CAN |
10km |
2:06:43.94 |
| 2 |
2014 |
Lac-Mégantic, QC, CAN |
10km |
2:29.08 |
| 12 |
2012 |
Santos, BRA |
10km |
2:23:33.53 |
| 7 |
2012 |
Viedma, ARG |
10km |
2:02:23 |
| 1 |
2011 |
Santos, BRA |
10km |
2:12:33.39 |
| 9 |
2010 |
Viedma, ARG |
10km |
1:58:52 |
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