40th Anniversary of the Bachelor's Degree in Physical Education

The anniversary event took place from May 22 to 26 with academic and sporting activities and a closing ceremony for graduates in which the guest was Cecilia “Chechi” Baena, a glory of Colombian skating.

Chronology of a world-class skater: “The secret of a champion is training and discipline, but the most important thing is to love and enjoy what you do.” Cecilia “La Chechi” Baena.

Cecilia Baena Guzmán, nicknamed "Chechi" by sports journalist Luis Escobar and known as the "little wonder," shared her life story and the key to her success with the graduates. She achieved 24 world titles, including three consecutive world marathon championships, all by the age of 13. She is also the only athlete in the world to win the Berlin Marathon three times consecutively, among other national and international titles.

The 30-year-old skater trained in Sports Administration at the Andean Area Foundation and is currently studying Social Communication at the University of Cartagena. Baena divides her time between the Regional Coordination of the 2019 National Games, her foundation, and her club, where she scouts for talent and passionately trains well-rounded athletes. She also serves as a spokesperson for athletes before the National Sports Council.

Cecilia grew up surrounded by sports legends thanks to her father, sports journalist Eugenio Baena. Boxers, soccer players, baseball players, and cyclists were frequent visitors to her home; she remembers Pibe Valderrama, Rentería, Mike Tyson, among others.

“La Chechi,” a legend of world skating, began in the sport at the age of three. She recalls that her school supply list included a pair of skates, and that's how she started practicing. However, at that time her parents were short on money, and a kind uncle gave her the skates as a gift. At six years old, she joined the Bolívar Skating League with the dream of one day winning. She participated in interscholastic competitions, and at that moment she felt that skating was her whole life.

“Skating is my thing, I liked feeling the adrenaline, being able to be on skates and feeling the speed.”.

Skating became a hobby for Cecilia; she trained after school, unaware that this discipline would lead her to success. At that time, in the local and regional sports world, Cecilia was seen as a short, chubby, and slightly overweight girl who didn't have the ideal physique or VO2 max. But "Chechi" knew she had something special in her heart, and that was the desire to achieve her dream.

There are no limits when you love what you do, and enjoy what you do; dreams and desires are greater, the results come on their own. Sport gives you everything; to win you have to train, and train to live, to become a complete athlete, Baena emphasized.

At age 13, she competed in a world championship in the United States at the suggestion of her coach to improve her technique. Her family made the effort to travel there. However, she was almost not allowed to compete in the international event due to her young age. Her mother pleaded with the organizers to let her participate, explaining that they had come from far away because of her daughter's dream of skating alongside world-class skaters, an argument that was accepted.

“I was next to the world champions, and I was happy to be fulfilling my dream, but my brother kept telling me, ”We came here for something important. You have a great finishing kick. If they beat you, you took a risk, but if you beat them, look what could happen.’ On the last lap of the race, I launched a surprise attack that no one could follow. I celebrated and won. To my astonishment, the next day I was featured in magazines across the United States, and the journalistic world was asking, ‘Who is Cecilia? She beat the world champions! Who is she?’ That was everyone’s question.”.

That moment was crucial for Cecilia's sporting life. Victories began to arrive; she became the national intercollegiate champion in a category more advanced than her age, 13 years old.

Later, the National Skating Federation invited her to the qualifying championship to select the Colombian national team. Cecilia won in every category, despite being two categories younger, and qualified for the world championship in Barrancabermeja in 2000. In this competition, she won four world titles and set a world record by being the only athlete to be crowned champion at age 13 in her first world championship.

Later in 2002 in the city of Bogotá, "Chechi" broke records in the 2,000 meter race at the national championship, where she won another title.

Her experience in the capital evokes memories of both sacrifice and humor. “They would wrap me in newspaper, bathe me in Vipapuro, and I would run like that so the cold wouldn't hurt me,” the athlete recalls.

The following year, perhaps the most significant event in Cecilia's life occurred: the death of her mother. "The person who dreamed about me, the person who washed my leggings and fixed my skates, passed away. Half of my motivation died at that moment," she explained.

At that moment, “Chechi” made the decision not to skate again; however, her family and close friends made her reflect that she owed everything to her mother, and that she had to give all her triumphs and honors to her.

“The week after my mother died, I went to the World Championships in France. In the 500-meter race, I almost fell; technically, I was on the ground, but something divine happened. I was able to get up and win the race. As I left the competition, someone was watching from the heavenly stands, holding me up with their hands, and I was able to give that victory to my mother, and from then on, everything I've been able to give has been a source of both nostalgia and joy,” Cecilia recounted, recalling that glorious moment with a mixture of nostalgia and joy.

Cecilia's successes began to arrive; she started traveling the world, and with that came a demanding training regimen. She lived in Europe for five years, skating one weekend in Switzerland, another in Germany, Korea, China, France, and other countries in Asia and Europe.

Sport is a profession, it's a lifestyle of 7 hours of daily training, it's being exposed to high levels of demand, it's feeling pain and going beyond our limits. We are exceptional beings, because every time we get on the track or demonstrate our talent, there are no limits to achieving our dreams, to leaving the name of our country high. For me, that is the greatest satisfaction, said "Chechi".

To commemorate the 40th anniversary of the Bachelor's Degree program in Physical Education, Recreation, and Sports, Cecilia invited everyone to reflect on sports, which she described as an instrument of social transformation and a tool that helps inspire others to pursue their dreams and goals. "I've had the opportunity to inspire others, and I'm proud to say that this sport has the most titles in Colombia and at the world level. Success is a choice," the champion emphasized.

It is worth noting that the Fusagasugá Campus of the University of Cundinamarca is not an unknown place for Cecilia “La Chechi” Baena, since the world skater inaugurated the skating rink of the old CERCUN in the National Games of 2004, now a learning campus and projected as the center of studies and sports development of the Institution.

The Meeting of Graduates of the Bachelor's Degree in Physical Education

“This space definitely allowed us to reflect on our professional heritage, to reminisce with the professors who helped us earn our degrees, and to remember the friendships forged during each academic day. This setting allowed us to share personal and professional triumphs, as well as the great challenges we have faced in our professional work,” highlighted Pedro Nel Quintero Turriago, Dean of the Faculty of Sports Science and Physical Education.

Following the words of the dean of the Faculty of Physical Education, the graduates' meeting began with the presentation of successful graduates, such as Yesid Guzmán Linares, an official of Indeportes Cundinamarca, Harold Perilla, FIFA Referee, and Gustavo Alfredo Bustos, former physical trainer of the Millonarios, Oriente Petrolero of Bolivia and Santa Fe soccer teams, who shared their professional experiences and have brought honor to the University of Cundinamarca in professional settings.

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