Beijing, Las Leonas, Maradona and an Olympic Medal

The story was made to live it, travel it, hold on to it and then tell itthis group of Lionesses –That many finished saying goodbye in Beijing- They were the precursors of mass hockey in our country and that Olympic game was the last roar of that litter He was born at the Utrecht ’98 World Cup, 10 years before, and will last forever.

The 2008 games was not one more tournament for Argentinait was the first in the century that there was only one team in the Hockistic Delegation – since the lions failed to classify towards that appointment – but that blow to sport lovers was nothing more than to agigate the passion and support for those lions that came from getting two medals in line and wanted to continue writing their big story.

María de la Paz Hernándezfront of that long selection process, He recalled the days in Beijing with AM850.com: “Beijing was an incredible tournament, in which our group of Lionesses began to disarm. Magui (Aicega), our captain, had announced his retirement and many of us also began to say goodbye.”

“I remember that we sent each other between us encouraging ourselves to enjoy knowing that we would not be together, in such a context, never again,” Maripinative of Buenos Aires Cricket & Rugby Club, Mention of how they traveled the goodbye process in those games.

Those liones arrived in Beijing with two medals in the neckone of silver (Sydney 2000) and another of bronze (Athens 2004) and Internally they felt that they should go for the golden medaldespite the difficulties that it entailed. Magdalena Aicega, captain of that delegation, spoke about it: “Of course I would have liked to win the gold, in the games and in each tournament we disputed, but each championship we face it with the same seriousness, with the same importance and I am aware that having a medal is a privilege for few.”

Magui, That he had announced his retirement before traveling, referred to successism lived by that moment: “We were always going to any tournament we thought of goldbut in which we failed to bring any medal we value them very much because those competitions gave us teachings for what we should improve and then then go in search of the top of the podium. ”

Time before playing the Olympic semifinal Before the powerful Netherlands of Maartje Paun, the coach of that team of Lionesses, Gabriel Minadeo, received a particular contact: “The best thing that happened to us was when Diego Maradona called to see the party, the committee said they had no tickets and the fih … I told him to go the same, when he entered he stopped the entire stadium and those of the FIH and committee died to take a picture with him”

Diego Armandowho felt a great attachment to the Argentine shirt regardless of sport, He approached to encourage the lions in that difficult encounter And after the hard defeat 5 to 2, which made it impossible to fight for gold, the star of world football He entered the locker room and narrated a few words that none will never forget.

“Having had Diego was a total mood injection, to tell us how important it was to look”, Magui Aicega spoke emphasized that moment.

“You have to keep putting your chest to the shirt”, Thus closed Maradona his harangue towards those decades after the defeat… And they did, they went to the front, beat Germany 3 to 1 And they brought another Olympic medal for the country, demonstrating with the example that perhaps not everything comes out as he imagines, but if you give the best for the common good it will have been worth it.

“Beijing: You were very special, I have kept you in my heart forever”finished Maripi Hernández. Today when they are fulfilled 17 years of those lions with another awardbut also Those who will be eternal with the celestial and white are celebrated.