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Biography
Impairment information
Origin of Impairment
Acquired
Further personal information
Family
Daughter Andrea
Residence
Valle de la Pascua, VEN
Occupation
Administrator, Athlete
Languages
Spanish
Sport specific information
When and where did you begin this sport?
She initially got involved Para athletics, before taking up powerlifting in 2016.
Why this sport?
She liked to run and play volleyball before her accident. After recovering she was introduced to Para sports by her brother, who also showed her the Paralympic Games. She was also inspired by the story of Venezuelan long-distance runner and motivational speaker Maickel Melamed. "I saw how extraordinary those Games are and what they [Para athletes] can do in their disciplines."
Club / Team
IsoGym [VEN] / Aragua State [VEN]:
Name of coach
Yvan Sequera; Jorge Veliz
Training Regime
She trains in both Valle de la Pascua and Maracay in Venezuela.
General interest
Hobbies
Reading. (Athlete, 01 Jun 2019)
Memorable sporting achievement
Finishing fifth at the 2018 Americas Open Championships in Bogota, Colombia, and securing qualification for the 2019 Parapan American Games. (Athlete, 01 Jun 2019)
Most influential person in career
Her daughter. (Athlete, 01 Jun 2019)
Hero / Idol
Venezuelan Para athlete Juan Ramon Valladares Hernandez. (Athlete, 01 Jun 2019)
Sporting philosophy / motto
"Success is all about choices." (Instagram profile, 18 May 2019)
Awards and honours
She was named the 2018 Female Athlete of the Year in the Infante municipality of Venezuela. (notipascua.com, 09 Jan 2019)
Other sports
She has taken part in Para athletics, and competed in the 2017 New York Marathon in the United States of America. (notipascua.com, 19 Nov 2017)
Ambitions
To compete at the Paralympic Games. (Athlete, 01 Jun 2019)
Impairment
In 2007 she was involved in a car accident that claimed the lives of her husband, two daughters, her mother-in-law, sister-in-law and two nephews. She suffered a range of serious injuries, including loss of mobility in her legs. She underwent dozens of surgical interventions that caused constant infections. "After 63 very painful operations, trying to find a way to walk again, I decided to accept my condition, start a new life and enjoy life in my wheelchair. That was the first step that I had to take, to accept that I could not walk anymore." (tiemporeal24.com, 20 Jul 2017; notipascua.com, 19 Nov 2017; esteliaospinabastidas.blogspot.com, 12 Jan 2017)
Other information
OCCUPATION
She has worked for the National Bolivarian Police [PNB] in Venezuela for over 20 years. For 13 years she directed traffic in rural and urban areas of Nueva Sparta state, and following her accident she was relocated to her hometown of Valle de la Pascua, where she has worked in administration at the motor vehicle department. (Athlete, 01 Jun 2019; Informate 2.0 issuu.com, 04 May 2018; notiexpress24.com.ve, 07 Mar 2017; esteliaospinabastidas.blogspot.com, 19 Jan 2017)
HOSPITAL CLOWN
In 2011 she did a course to join a hospital clown company, and began making weekly visits to sick people in hospital in Venezuela. "One day, a friend of mine wanted me try something different and she took me to a company and said, 'You are going to put on a red nose, a white coat and a hat. Today you are going to learn to give hugs and smiles to children and sick people'. And so I began the best adventure of my life, becoming a hospital clown. That day my heart smiled without thinking about my condition." (esteliaospinabastidas.blogspot.com, 01 Mar 2017)
She has worked for the National Bolivarian Police [PNB] in Venezuela for over 20 years. For 13 years she directed traffic in rural and urban areas of Nueva Sparta state, and following her accident she was relocated to her hometown of Valle de la Pascua, where she has worked in administration at the motor vehicle department. (Athlete, 01 Jun 2019; Informate 2.0 issuu.com, 04 May 2018; notiexpress24.com.ve, 07 Mar 2017; esteliaospinabastidas.blogspot.com, 19 Jan 2017)
HOSPITAL CLOWN
In 2011 she did a course to join a hospital clown company, and began making weekly visits to sick people in hospital in Venezuela. "One day, a friend of mine wanted me try something different and she took me to a company and said, 'You are going to put on a red nose, a white coat and a hat. Today you are going to learn to give hugs and smiles to children and sick people'. And so I began the best adventure of my life, becoming a hospital clown. That day my heart smiled without thinking about my condition." (esteliaospinabastidas.blogspot.com, 01 Mar 2017)