Sixto Barrera: a true fighter represents Peru at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games

Sixto Barrera Ochoa is not just any sportsman: his life itself is an example of personal overcoming, spiritual strength, optimism and a win-win attitude, that helped him overcome poverty and harsh conditions to become the best wrestler of his category in the American continent.

Barrera at the Pan American Games in Rio de Janeiro 2007. Photo Reuters

In a typical cloudy morning of Lima, this talented Afro Peruvian young man walks the small streets of a modest district named after Saint Martin de Porras - the first Afro descendant saint of the Catholic church- up to a wide avenue named Peru precisely, from where an old public transportation bus will take him to his wrestling training sessions and his college classes, more than 45 minutes of travel time across the vast Peruvian capital.

Sixto has widely proved that he is a true fighter, as he has overcome difficulties inherent to the material poverty that surrounds his life, exacerbated by the chaos and pollution of a city like Lima. His success is certainly more admirable because of the limitations he faces as a professional sportsman in Peru, a country where sports stopped being a priority of its government, several decades ago.

In Sixto's mind there is only room for a dream that he keeps since he was a child: to represent Peru at the summer Olympic games. At 24 years old, he has achieved such impressive goal with his own effort and the support of his coaches and relatives, but also with the blessings of the God he venerates so much, following the example of Martin, the black saint from Lima that is beloved around the world.

Born in Lima, Sixto lost his father at age 3, and was raised by his mother Julia Barrera, an outstanding woman who helped shaped the strong character of this prominent sportsman, with limited economic resources but with also great decency and maternal love -true luxuries that can't be bought with money.

When he was 13 years old, his uncle enrolled him in wrestling classes during summer break, when he was a student at a poor public school. After graduating from high school, he got in college taking Physical Education at the Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, with the objective of educating future Peruvian athletes. For now, Sixto has put his studies on hold while he is preparing for the most important sport tournament on the planet, without neglecting the time necessary to raise her only daughter.

Sixto Barrera classified to the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, after winning the gold medal at the Pan American Games in Colorado Springs, USA (Greco-Roman wrestling 66-74 kg) getting the only spot available at this tournament, to travel to China. He defeated American wrestler T.C. Dantzler, 5th place in the 2006 World Championship.

Foto IPD

"This is the first time I classified to the [Olympic] Games, and I always enter competitions with great faith, every time I say that I am 'God's warrior' because he gives me the strength to achieve these victories. This medal more than for me, is for Peru because its name will be written again at the largest universal sports event. " he declared to the Andina agency of Peru.

Sixto Barrera is currently getting ready for the 2008 Olympic Games, with a tour that includes tournaments in Lima (Peru), Romania, Slovakia, Spain, Germany, Greece and Cuba, accompanied by his coach Enrique Cubas. In this tour, he just won a fifth place in a Dormund, Germany tournament, and the silver medal at the 'Ion Corneanu' Tournament in Romania.

His past achievements include: gold medal at the Bolivarian Games in Colombia 2005; gold medal at the VIII South American Games Odesur, Buenos Aires 2006; and silver medal at the Pan American Games in Rio de Janeiro 2007.

The modesty of Sixto is such, that he expresses gratitude even for the limited support that Peru's sports authorities have provided: the Peruvian Olympic Committee awarded him with an "Olympic scholarship" last year and the Peruvian Institute of Sports (IPD) has supported his training expenses with the few resources avaliable.

Barrera does not have receive a permanent salary from the Peruvian government, which is mandatory by law in all countries where sports are considered a vital and important element of the education and development of its citizens. Neither he gets decent housing or necessary supplies for a sports person at a Olympic level, although Peruvian private donors are pitching in to sponsor him.

However, this and other difficulties aren't reasons for this athlete to stop showing a contagious optimism and a smile that invites to believe what many consider a very possible success in China.

Sixto Barrera has the ability to get an Olympic medal and all Peruvians hope that it will happen. Not only because of his extraordinary ability and skills, but especially because he deserves it as he is already a winner in life.



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