In Ciudad Mendoza, a town of hard-working and enthusiastic people, located in the middle of the Oriental Sierra Madre, in the Region of the Great Mountains of the State of Veracruz of Ignacio de la Llave; still known nowadays by its former name, Santa Rosa was born in a humble family, on February 21, 1960, Amparo María Eugenia García Garcés or Maru as affectionately also known, the third in the order.María Eugenia learned from her father, Don Leopoldo García Pineda, a skilled mechanic, strict discipline in each of his acts and solidarity with others. From her mother, Doña Avelina Garcés Ávila, a dedicated housewife, she learned religion and when she grew she helped her in her educational process. From her grandparents, she learned the historical events that took place in the past. Those were the values with which Amparo María Eugenia García Garcés grew up, which ultimately became part of her being: discipline, honor, sense of help, and pride in her origin.
She studied in Ciudad Mendoza until high school where she started as a basketball player, which she practiced in secret from her father, who considered that a little woman should not play like that. At age 15, she was part of the women’s basketball team, and her team became the national champion in the state held in Veracruz Puerto in 1975. However, she did not participate in all the events due to the opposition of her father, who, after some time he was proud of her. This athlete continued in basketball and, besides, perfected the swimming technique that she also practices. Also, she trained as an aerobics instructor.
Maru finished her high school and started and engineering (incomplete) at the Regional Technological Institute of Orizaba. She got married at 22 and had three children, and three grandchildren from her oldest son, Carlos. She also studied dressmaking in Nogales. But now she works in the home and works at times within the informal economy, supporting her home, mainly to give a better study to her children. Since January 2018, the municipality of Ciudad Mendoza asked her to collaborate with the Municipal Sports Committee, and there she is also providing services.
This outstanding athlete plays with the Santa Rosa team in the Mendoza City Basketball League in the free category. Despite her almost 58 years, she still plays side by side against younger girls, who are 40 years younger and more. In 1994, she obtained a certificate as an aerobics instructor. In swimming, in October of 2001, she got the first place in the 1st Biathlon in Nogales and 2001 she returned to get the first place in the 2nd Biathlon of Nogales.
Since 2003, she has participated in all the national championships of Track and Field of Mexico, (15 in total) standing at the podium in multiple opportunities. In the “XXVIII National Track and Field Master Championship” she obtained the 2nd place in 1,500 meters, category W40-45. That was her first intervention in the athletics master, even without technique revealing with her way of running that she was not an athlete, but a basketball player, which earned her to be told: “You are awesome, you are a roadrunner!” For her impetus, resistance, and courage to win even those who were lifelong athletes.
Eugenia has also participated in: “Master Track and Field Championships of North Central America and the Caribbean World Masters Athlete” 2006 Guatemala, 2010 in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico, 2012 Saint John NB. Canada, and; 2014 in San José, Costa Rica. In those tournaments, she obtained multiple medals.
On the other hand, worldwide, she has participated in “World Masters Athletics Championships Stadia” of Riccione, Italy; Sacramento, Ca., USA and Lyon, France; in addition to the Indoor World Cup in Canada. Also in 2015 at the Lyon World Championship, France achieved a bronze medal, by teams, in the cross-country competition. While individually was in place on 17 and in the modality of 2,000 meters “steeplechase,” it was in 5th. Place.
For almost 15 years he participated in 800 meters, 1,500 meters, 5,000 meters, 10,000 meters 21 kilometers and the Marathon. All the above was very strenuous and varied. However, the basketball along with the swimming, the aerobics and the height where she lives, gave her the confidence to dare to this.
Currently, she has stopped participating in 21K and marathon. She competed in the 800 meters and 10,000 meters and started her participation in the 8K cross country and 2,000 meters steeplechase. With strategy, decide which tests race, to give the best possible time of recovery.
Maru says that practicing athletics at this level, in Mexico, is difficult, but possible, as she has shown. It is with the support of her husband and her work, mainly, how she has managed to compete in so many and varied places in the country and the world. On some occasions, the state has provided some help, but they have been the least times and with little. On other events, to be able to attend competitions, especially abroad, she has become indebted. For example, for the World Cup in Lyon, France in 2015, she requested a loan that still pays and is about to be canceled.
When she started practicing athletics, her husband gave her training reasonably initial indications, since he was a long distance runner in the 70s. But in 2006 and during NCCWMA Championship in Guatemala, she met the Professor David Fdo. Pérez Medellín, possessor of high capacity and vocation, as well as an excellent human being. Since then he has guided her in this sport.
Maru considers that the physical faculties are changing, the times increase and change of categories, started in W 40-44, and now it is in W55-59. She believes that at the 2015 World Championships in Lyon, France, it has been her best achievement: her only world medal, it does not matter if it is bronze and by teams.
As an anecdote, María Eugenia tells that: “In 2009 to participate in the” XXXIV National Track and Field Athletics Championship 2009 “of Tijuana, B.C., we traveled by plane from Toluca to Tijuana. Well, a big storm fell that prevented us from arriving at Toluca airport in good weather, we thought we had missed the flight and decided to arrive at the airport just in case, due to some eventuality, it had been delayed. It was not like that, but when we got to the counter, we showed the boarding passes and hurried us: “You are lucky, but you have to run! All other passengers have already checked in. “We were the last ones, and the name of that plane was “LEOPOLDO,” as my dad! who had recently passed away. “
In the NCCWMA Championship of Costa Rica, the plane did not leave Mexico City until the next day, and I lost the first competition that was the 8K cross country. “
The benefits of practicing a sport are basic health and, additionally, a commitment to inspire young and not so young people to practice sports. In the case of María Eugenia, she practices three sports: athletics, basketball, and swimming.
Her goal is to continue playing basketball, competing in swimming and achieving a gold medal in a world championship in individual competitions.