Valeria Cilleruelo cruzo la meta en Gualeguaychú y Carry el oro del kayak neuquino

Valeria Cilleruelo, una profesora de Educación Física que vive en Neuquén, había aprendido a organizar cada aspecto de su vida alrededor del kayak. worked in two schools, was raising Emma, who is 12 years old, and trained throughout the year. When the 2025 World Championship was held in Gualeguaychú, she found in Argentina the opportunity that had been denied to her in previous editions.

The athlete had qualified for two world championships, but the travel costs exceeded what she could cover without outside assistance. “I never managed to go to other world championships, and I never received support or help to be able to travel,” she explained. With the championship in Argentine territory, that obstacle disappeared and, in April, she traveled to Gualeguaychú for the national qualifier. She finished first and secured her place in the world event.

A podium that almost did not happen

Months later, Valeria competed in both the individual and double categories she had prepared for. In K1, she started behind after a nervous departure and spent several sections near the back of the field. Instead of giving up, she reduced the gap to the athletes fighting for third place and finished on the podium.

In K2, she shared the boat with Victoria Sánchez, a rower from Viedma with whom she had never trained. They met for the first time on the water that day, managed to build a lead over the rest of the field and crossed the finish line in first place. The result was the gold medal she had been seeking.

“For me, it is a unique connection with nature, it is my lifeline. It means disconnecting completely from work, problems and daily stress.”Valeria Cilleruelo

Valeria arrived at canoeing at 18, when a neighbor invited her to row during the summer. She had no previous knowledge of the discipline. The experience in the Limay River was enough to mark her life: the attraction of being in a boat and on the water became the motivation to continue rowing. Today, the same river remains her reference point between training days and the demands of work and family life.

Her story is that of a woman who combines teaching, motherhood and high-level sport, and who has financed her sporting path largely on her own. The gold in Gualeguaychú did not erase the difficulties she faced, but showed that the barrier was not a lack of ability: it was the cost of getting to the starting line. Valeria, who signed as Griselda Villavicencio, said that the championship was the opportunity she had been waiting for and that, for her, it means getting away from everyday problems and reconnecting with nature.

• Valeria Cilleruelo has 44 years old and works as a Physical Education teacher in two schools in Neuquén.
• She is the mother of Emma, 12, and has been competing in canoeing for 26 years.
• She won gold in K2 with Victoria Sánchez and third place in K1 at the 2025 World Championship in Gualeguaychú.
• Before this edition, she had qualified for two world championships but could not attend because of the travel expenses.