Theresa Zabell, the living female legend of the Spanish Olympic sport

Theresa Zabell Lucas was born in 1965 in the British city of Ipswich, but first of all she feels malagueña of adoption. His first nautical experiences dates from when he was just a baby, in a few years when his parent had to change his residence for professional reasons to the Canary Islands. From there they moved to the Costa del Sol, to Fuenguirola, were the times of Manuel Fraga as Minister of Information and Tourism, and of the Spanish tourist boom in general and Malaga in particular.

But it had to take a few years for the living legend of the Spanish Olympic candle to embark on a sailing ship. She was only a dozen years old. At the age of 14, he was lucky with the Europe class, and in 1985 he was proclaimed World Champion in the legendary French city of La Rochelle. Three years later he entered the Spanish pre-Olympic team, achieving theoretically his classification for Seul 88. However, the Royal Spanish Federation opted for direct designation and chose the tandem composed of Adelina González and Patricia Guerra.

The sportsman's reaction was logic: to think about abandoning everything. A situation that has happened to many Spanish regatists, and that continues to happen when the federatives manipulate and interpret the results by politics to their best opinion, simply. Therefore the Zabell spent a year in her home England, hurt and discouraged,... the temptation to leave the candle was present at all times.

Zabell-Guerra, celebrando el oro en Barcelona 92 (Foto zabell.org)

Zabili-Guerra, celebrating the gold in Barcelona 92 (Photo tzabili.org)

His strength was good for him to leave the tunnel and he prepared to face the games of Barcelona 92 having Patricia Guerra de proel in 470 Spanish, and the results could not be better: gold medal. The line of work continued in Atlanta 96, on this occasion with Begoña Vía-Dufresne,..., and second consecutive Olympic gold. Many World Championships (5) and Europe (3) joined these achievements. A resume in the candle, considered the most laureate in history. It guinda its proclamation as "the best regatist in the world" by the ISAF.

But after success, the Mother Theresa chose to create her family, by marrying Manuel López Camacho and the fruit of it was born Olimpia. Eugenio is the second of the Lopez- Zabell saga, and the regatist decides still to be relatively young for the 470, to retire. At the end of the last century, it is rooted in politics with a strong commitment to work for sport. It achieves an independent European Member's act within the People's Group. She is currently the President of the Ecomar Foundation.

Sports palmaris

1985 World Champion Europe class (La Rochelle. France).
1991 Champion of Europe class 470 (Bergen. Norway).
1992 Champion of Europe class 470 (New Port. Belgium)
1992 Gold medal olympic.svg Gold Medal in the 470 class at the Barcelona 92 Olympic Games next to Patricia Guerra.
1992 World Champion class 470 (Rota. Spain).
1992 Number one in the World ranking.
1993 Gold medal with cup.svg Gold Medal at the Mediterranean Games (France).
1993 Subchampion of the World Class 470 (Crozón-Morgat. France).
1994 World Champion IYRU World Sailing Championship class 470 (La Rochelle. France).
1994 Champion of Europe class 470 (Robel. Germany).
1994 Number one World ranking.
1995 Trophy Champion Princess Sofia.
1995 World Champion class 470 (Toronto. Canada).
1995 PreOlympic Gold Medal Savannah 95.
1996 World Champion class 470 (Porto Alegre, Brazil).
1996 Gold medal olympic.svg Gold Medal in the 470 class at the Atlanta Olympic Games next to Begoña Via Dufresne.
1996 Number one in the World ranking.
1997 World ranking number one.
Only regatist winning 5 Olympic Weeks in France. Hyeres.
14 times International Olympic Weeks Champion.
12 times Champion of Spain.

Summary

- 2 times Olympic Champion and Gold Medal at the Games of Barcelona 92 and Atlanta 96
- 5 times World Champion:
1985 La Rochelle (France)
1992 Rota (Spain)
1994 La Rochelle (France)
1995 Toronto, Canada
1996 Porto Alegre (Brazil)

- 3 times European Champion: 1991 (Bergen), 1992 (New Port) and 1994 (Robel)
- 4 times World ranking number 1: 1992, 1994, 1996 and 1997
- 14 times International Olympic Weeks Champion
- Assistant World Champion: 1993 (France)
- Gold Medal of the Mediterranean Games: 1993 (France)