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| BENITEZ Alejandra |
| NOC |
Venezuela
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| Gender | Women |
| Born |
07 Jul 1980
in Caracas, VEN
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| Height | 1.69 m |
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Further Personal Information |
| Higher education |
Dentistry - Central University of Venezuela: Caracas, VEN |
Sport Specific Information |
| Why this sport? |
Her aunt took her to the training hall at the Central University of Venezuela, where she met coach Ildemaro Sanchez. "I was so excited because the Venezuelan national team trained there. That was my inspiration." |
| When and where did you begin this sport? |
She began fencing at age 15. |
General Interest |
| Sporting philosophy / motto |
"Any sport generates discipline and values like solidarity and fellowship. But for a child, fencing is important because it also helps with reasoning, concentration, and strategy." (alejandrabenitez.com, 06 Dec 2016) |
Further Personal Information |
| Residence |
Caracas, VEN |
| Occupation |
Dentist |
| Languages |
English, French, Italian, Spanish |
General Interest |
| Other information |
RETIREMENT
In May 2021 she announced her retirement from competition after she failed to qualify for the 2020 Olympic Games. "I felt like I fought to the end. I know that it is not easy to say goodbye like this. I am proud of what I did in fencing because there were four Olympic Games, podiums in World Cups, Pan American, Central American, South American, Bolivarian, military world championships and many events inside and outside of Venezuela. I was always proud to represent my country." (sportsvenezuela.com, 03 May 2021)
FOUNDATION
She has founded the BenitezVEN foundation, which aims to promote fencing and physical activity among children in Venezuela. "My first home was in the favelas of Caracas, and my work in Venezuela is based right there. For me it is neither dangerous nor complicated. My foundation promotes our sport by organising fencing exhibitions for the children. We set up a piste and allow them to play. We also bring clothes and food. Sport is always good for children. I want to help them realise all the good things that fencing can bring them." (fie.org, 03 Aug 2016; ciudadmcy.info.ve, 29 Feb 2016; liderendeportes.com, 10 Jan 2016; liderendeportes.com, 22 Apr 2013; raldahir.com, 15 Mar 2018)
POLITICAL CAREER
In 2010 she served as a deputy of the Venezuelan national assembly, and in 2013 she was appointed minister of sport under president Nicolas Maduro. "When I decided to take on my political career, I made sacrifices and left many things aside, but I never lost my focus [for sport]. I will always be Alejandra Benitez the Olympic athlete, and afterwards I am a dentist and then a politician." (alejandrabenitez.com, 2016; sputniknews.com, 07 Dec 2016; contrapunto.com, 08 Oct 2017) |
| Injuries |
She sustained an injury to her shin in 2017. (contrapunto.com, 08 Oct 2017)
In July 2015 she sustained a stress fracture to her shin bone. She competed with the injury at the 2015 Pan American Games in Toronto, ON, Canada, where she won silver in individual sabre and bronze in team sabre. (SportsDeskOnline, 29 Mar 2016; eluniversal.com, 22 Jul 2015) |
Sport Specific Information |
| Handedness |
Right |
General Interest |
| Nicknames |
Ale (Facebook profile, 11 Jun 2018) |
| Most influential person in career |
Her mother. (Twitter profile, 29 Jan 2021) |
| Pan American Championships |
| 2019 |
4 |
Team Sabre |
Toronto, Canada |
| 2019 |
8 |
Individual Sabre |
Toronto, Canada |
| 2018 |
3 |
Team Sabre |
Havana, Cuba |
| 2018 |
8 |
Individual Sabre |
Havana, Cuba |
| 2017 |
3 |
Team Sabre |
Montreal, Canada |
| 2017 |
Quarterfinal |
Individual Sabre |
Montreal, Canada |
| 2016 |
4 |
Team Sabre |
Panama, Panama |
| 2016 |
7 |
Individual Sabre |
Panama, Panama |
| 2015 |
3 |
Team Sabre |
Santiago, Chile |
| 2015 |
8 |
Individual Sabre |
Santiago, Chile |
| 2014 |
6 |
Individual Sabre |
San José, Costa Rica |
| 2013 |
3 |
Individual Sabre |
Cartagena, Colombia |
| 2012 |
7 |
Individual Sabre |
Cancún, Mexico |
| 2011 |
6 |
Individual Sabre |
Reno, NV, United States |
| 2010 |
6 |
Individual Sabre |
, |
| 2009 |
7 |
Individual Sabre |
San Salvador, El Salvador |
| 2008 |
2 |
Team Sabre |
Querétaro, Mexico |
| 2008 |
3 |
Individual Sabre |
Queretaro, Mexico |
| 2006 |
3 |
Individual Sabre |
Valencia, Venezuela |
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