This March 8, the International Women’s Day, an appointment to pay tribute to all women in the world and claim their role in society, as well as give visibility to the fight for equality.
In El Bierzo there are many women who deserve recognition for their success trajectories. Scientific achievements, sports milestones, social and cultural recognition, make up some of the characteristics that make the proper names of some of them known and applauded throughout the region.
And although -we insist- there are many Bercian women (either born in El Bierzo or settled in this land) who deserve recognition, we have selected 10 great names that carry success as a surname and that every Berciano must know and admire.
Lydia valentin
This list could not begin with anything other than Lydia valentin. The Camponaraya natural weightlifter is a true ambassador of the Bierzo outside our borders, boasting of land and traditions whenever he has occasion both on his social networks (283 thousand people follow all his training and his day-to-day life on Instagram) and in his appearances in the media.
The athlete was champion in the 2017 and 2018 World Weightlifting Championships; three-time champion of Europe in 2014, 2015, 2017 and 2018; and rose with the gold medal at the 2012 London Olympics, silver at Beijing 2008 and bronze at Rio de Janeiro 2008. Recall that in Beijing and London she stayed in a lower rung on the respective podiums, but the doping of the three opponents who preceded her raised her as the true champion, also demonstrating her honor even though she received the medals several years later. Her last victory was this weekend, Champion of the Spanish Cup that was played in León; and he already has his sights set on the 2021 Tokyo Olympics.
In addition to all her sporting milestones, she has the title of one of the most beloved and admired women from Bercia by all her ‘countrymen’.
Nuria Lugeros
Following the sporting trail, another woman who has conquered the top in her career has been the athlete Nuria Lugueros. Born in Ponferrada, she has achieved multiple successes in her long distance races and obstacles. Absolute Spanish Champion of 10,000 meters in 2018, Champion of Spain Sub23 of 10,000m (2010), Champion of Spain Sub20 of 3,000m in the open air (2007), Champion of Spain Sub20 of 5,000m (2007) … These are some of the many podiums in which she has triumphed at the national level Although she also shows successes in international competitions on her resume and is currently a fan of marathons.
Marta Casado
The young Marta Casado (Ponferrada, 2000) has garnered a multitude of achievements such as paralympic athlete and, in addition, it has a great impact on social networks (83.8 thousand followers on Instagram and 1.5 million on TikTok). This Berciana is an example of struggle and improvement and is actively focused on making disability visible and normalizing, being a model to follow especially among her generation.
He currently combines sports competition with his studies in Journalism at the Complutense University of Madrid and his social networks, which are a showcase of his vitality and strength.
He practiced sports since childhood, especially gymnastics, and at the age of 14 he was diagnosed with bone cancer that caused him to lose his left leg. But this did not stop the fighting spirit of Marta, who rose Champion of Spain under-20 in 100 meters dash and long jump. Furthermore, his sights are set on the Tokyo 2021 Games.
Ana María Lourido
The magistrate Ana María Lourido Rico, a native of Cabañas (A Coruña), is the dean judge of Ponferrada since May 2019. Prior to her election, she was the head of the Court of First Instance and Instruction number 7 of the capital of Bercia, where she had served since January 2018. She was appointed senior judge with the unanimous vote of all the magistrates and judges in active in the judicial district of Ponferrada.
Angelita Rebollo
Biologist Angelita Rebollo (Espina de Tremor, Igüeña) has worked for three decades at the Pierre et Marie Curie University in Paris, where he leads a research team at the Center for Immunology and Infectious Diseases, and has achieved breakthroughs in the fight against one of the most aggressive and difficult-to-cure types of breast cancer, triple negative. This Berciana researcher discovered in 2013 a molecule shown to be very effective in treating breast tumors and thanks to the discovery of this molecule, which she called Pep-10, a new door of hope has been opened in the cure of this disease. Among other recognitions, he received the II National Breast Cancer Research Award in 2006.
Genesis Cardona (MUNA)
Genesis Cardona captain together with chef Samuel Naveira the MU-NA restaurant in Ponferrada, where she exerts as head she leaves. It is the first restaurant in El Bierzo to hold a Michelin Star (in December 2020), in the international culinary Olympus. In the MU-NA social networks they present her as a “pillar of the house” and say of her that she is “tenacity, perseverance and demand, a tireless worker who seeks to grow every day. He ended up in this adventure for love and today it has become his passion, the world of wine has been his great discovery, creating a winery worthy of mention, he is in continuous training to always offer his best version … It is fortunate to count with her in our ranks, undoubtedly a fundamental factor in our successes ”. The video that the team shared on social networks when they saw their Michelin Star live with Cardona amid tears of emotion, won a place in the hearts of all the people of Bercia who proudly celebrated this well-deserved recognition, which puts Bercian gastronomy in a position of honor.
Misericordia Bello
Misericordia Bello is president of Regulatory Council of the Denomination of Origin Bierzo since 2014 and therefore runs one of the seven guarantee brands in the Bierzo region. Under his presidency, the DO Bierzo became the first Denomination of Origin to implement a pioneering project for the zoning of the vineyard across its entire surface in Spain, which allows geographic units to be smaller than the DO itself to produce even more exclusive wines.
Beatriz Escudero
Beatriz Escudero Rubio is the CEO of Pharmadus Botanicals company, was born in Ponferrada and has a degree in Biology from the University of Salamanca, as well as a diploma in Business.
After joining the family business in 1993 as director of the Bergidum hotel in Ponferrada, in 2006 she began her career at Pharmadus, an infusion company founded by her father in the 1960s and which later expanded throughout Spain and international markets under the brand Manasul.
Since joining Pharmadus, she has served as CEO and CEO of the company, as well as managing another of the family group companies, Laboratorios Biosalud. Throughout her professional career, Beatriz Escudero has been recognized with different awards such as the Castilla y León Award for Women Entrepreneurs in 2014 and the Innovation of Export Products in 2016. She also held the presidency of the the Castilla y León Food Industry Association (Vitartis).
Tania Paz (Man Project)
The psychologist Tania Paz has become in 2021 the first woman president of Bierzo-León Man Project since its creation in 1985, after 13 years involved in the day-to-day running of the association. Member of the group of psychological intervention in disasters and emergencies (Gripde) of the College of Psychology of Castilla y León and professor of the master’s degree in addictions taught by the University of León (ULE), this year begins her presidency of Proyecto Hombre where she faces such relevant challenges such as including the gender perspective in addiction treatments, promoting prevention, social and labor insertion, addictions to gambling and new technologies, among other objectives that he presented in this interview (CLIC).
Ana Pilar Rodríguez (AFA Bierzo)
Ana Pilar Rodríguez she is the director of the center Alzheimer Bierzo and member of the platform against sexist violence, being a very visible face of feminism in the region. She was born in Cubillos del Sil, but moved to Ponferrada when she was 4 years old, and has a degree in Psychology. After graduating, she began her internship at AFA Bierzo and since 2011 she is the director of the center, where she actively fights to improve the quality of life of associates and their families.
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