RIO DE JANEIRO – Maria Belen PEREZ MAURICE (ARG) has revealed she worked as a catwalk model to keep her fencing career on track when she was a young, cash-strapped competitor.
"When I was between 20 and 23 I was also modelling, but I did it because I needed money for my fencing career and for the travels to compete. I needed to work so modelling was the easiest way," PEREZ MAURICE said.
Having finished 21st at the London 2012 Olympic Games, PEREZ MAURICE is now the world No.29 individual sabre fencer, and is no longer modelling.
"After the first results I finally received money from my country who supported me so I could stop working as a model and could just focus on fencing training," the 31-year-old from Buenos Aires said.
"After London 2012 I feel grown up now, I have a lot more experience, and my country supports me a lot. I can (take part in) all the competitions now. It's very important," she said.
The women’s sabre individual competition begins on 8 August at Carioca Arena 3.
© ONS