Camila Haase named Americas ‘Athlete of the Month’

Camila Haase has been chosen as Americas ‘Athlete of the Month’ for October after receiving 44 per cent of the public vote.

The Costa Rican swimmer won four gold medals in the women’s 100m butterfly, 100m freestyle, 100m breaststroke and 200m medley S9 at the Barranquilla National Open in Colombia.

Haase was among 30 athletes and coaches identified and trained by the Agitos Foundation in Bogota, Colombia, in early 2016, as part of the ‘Road to Sao Paulo 2017 Youth Parapan American Games’ programme.

That same year she became Costa Rica´s first female Paralympian at Rio 2016, finishing eighth in the women´s 100m breaststroke SB8.

Since August 2018, Camila is also one of the leaders of Proud Paralympian, the Agitos Foundation athlete education programme.

Chilean field athlete Francisca Mardones ended second with 37 per cent. She was followed by the Mexican men’s wheelchair basketball team, Peruvian swimmer Dunia Felices and US track athlete Daniel Romanchuk.

The nominations were compiled from submissions by National Paralympic Committees (NPCs) from across the continent.

The 2018 Americas Athlete of the Month winners are:

• January – Fernando Fuentes, El Salvador, swimming

• February – Brenna Huckaby, USA, snowboard

• March – Cristian Ribera, Brazil, Nordic skiing

• April – Daniela Gimenez, Argentina, swimming

• May – Juan Carlos Garrido, Chile, powerlifting

• June – Francisca Mardones, Chile, athletics

• July – Claudia Romero, Mexico, taekwondo

• August – Euclides Grisales, Colombia, boccia

• September – Giselle Munoz, Argentina, table tennis

• October – Camila Haase, Costa Rica, swimming