Iker BEITIA ASTONDOA
Iker BEITIA ASTONDOA, Spanish Para Dressage athlete.
| Name | Iker BEITIA ASTONDOA |
| FEI ID | 10072546 |
| Gender | Male |
| Date of Birth | 07/05/1983 |
| Competing for | Spain - ESP |
| Registration | Para Dressage 2024 |
| Last update | 07/02/2023 |
FEI Database
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www.linkedin.com/in/iker-beitia-b59b3276 |
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www.facebook.com/iker.astondoa |
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instagram.com/ikerbeitiaastondoa |
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| Sport Specific Information | |
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| When and where did you begin this sport? | He began riding at age 12 in Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain. He took up Para equestrian in 2010. |
| Why this sport? | He was convinced he would ride again after he sustained his injuries. "The beginning was actually very hard. I rode on horseback every day and would be in tears. I felt bad, not because I was afraid, but because I could not do things as before. I wondered if my whole life would be like this. But slowly, as I walked more and more and put in a lot of effort, I got better and better. You have to try." |
| Club / Team | Club Deportivo Zuzenak [ESP] / Club Hipico Etxabarri Ibina [ESP]: |
| Name of coach | Jose Raga [national], ESP; Garbine Beitia [sister] |
| General Interest | |
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| Hobbies | Trekking. (alea.eus, 04 Oct 2019) |
| Sporting philosophy / motto | "Two feet move our body, four feet move our soul." (Instagram profile, 01 Jan 2019) |
| Famous relatives | His sister Garbine has taken part in national dressage competitions in Spain. She has also worked as his coach. (Garbine Beitia Facebook profile, 11 Jun 2019; eitb.eus, 06 Jun 2018; fvh.org, 19 Mar 2017) |
| Ambitions | To compete at the Paralympic Games. (alea.eus, 04 Oct 2019) |
| Impairment | In 2007 he was in a coma for three weeks after his horse fell on him while he was competing in Santander, Spain. His injuries left him unable to speak and also affected his balance, as well as the movement on the right side of his body. (fundacionestadio.com, 2012; elcorreo.com, 31 Jul 2010) |
| Other information | FURTHER EDUCATION He has a master's degree in international relations and foreign affairs from the University of the Basque Country in Spain. He has also spent time studying at the University of Surrey in England. (Facebook profile, 22 Dec 2016; LinkedIn profile, 01 May 2014) OTHER ROLES He has served as treasurer of the Spanish Para Equestrian Association. (asociacionparaecuestre.com, 2019) |
| Impairment Information | |
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| Origin of Impairment | Acquired |
| Classification | GRADE IV |
| Further Personal Information | |
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| Languages | Basque, English, French, Spanish |
| Higher education | Translation/interpretation - European University of Madrid: Spain |
