Carmen Chalá

Carmen Anita Chalá-Quilumba (born June 7, 1976) is a judoka and former field athlete from Ecuador.

Carmen Chalá
Personal information
Full nameCarmen Anita Chalá-Quilumba
BornJune 7, 1976 (1976-06-07) (age 44)
Carchi, Ecuador
Medal record
Women's judo
Representing  Ecuador
Pan American Games
2007 Rio de Janeiro + 78 kg
1999 Winnipeg + 78 kg
2003 Santo Domingo + 78 kg
Pan American Judo Championships
2005 Caguas +78 kg
2005 Caguas Openweight
2006 Buenos Aires +78 kg
2007 Montreal +78 kg
2008 Miami Openweight
2009 Buenos Aires +78 kg
2009 Buenos Aires Openweight
South American Games
2002 Rio de Janeiro + 78 kg
2002 Rio de Janeiro Openweight
2006 Buenos Aires Openweight
2006 Buenos Aires + 78 kg
2010 Medellín + 78 kg
2010 Medellín Openweight
Women's athletics
South American Games
1990 Lima Shot put
1990 Lima Discus throw
1990 Lima Heptathlon
Bolivarian Games
1993 Cochabamba Shot put
1993 Cochabamba Discus throw
1989 Maracaibo Shot put

Early life, family and education

Carmen was born in the Ecuadoran province Carchi but at heart she is from Manabí.[1] Her family has many athletes in it: older sister Eva, and younger sisters Diana and Vanessa have all been national judo team members.[2]

Athletic career

Carmen Chalá was a national champion in athletics in shot put and discus throw. However by 1995, realizing that there are not many chances to be a successful field athlete at an international level, she began learning and practicing judo. She was 29 years old, considered very late to begin an endeavor like that. Her older sister Eva Chalá inspired her to try judo as she was already involved in it herself; Eva later became a referee for the sport as well.[2]

After only a month of judo training, Carmen became a national heavyweight champion. In the final, she defeated Olympian María Cangá, whom Carmen considered the nation's top female judo athlete.[2]

Although her success has been primarily within South American contests, Chalá participated at three Olympic Games but won only one match, defeating Sandra Köppen of Germany at the 2004 Olympic Games. In 2009, she wanted to join in politics but later delayed her candidature. She decided to continue as a athlete, aspiring to participate in the 2012 Olympic Games in London, but she did not.

Achievements
YearTournamentPlaceWeight class
2000Olympic Games ACHeavyweight (+ 78 kg)
2004Olympic Games ACHeavyweight (+ 78 kg)
2008Olympic Games 18thHeavyweight (+ 78 kg)
YearTournamentPlaceWeight class
1999Pan American Games 3rdHeavyweight (+ 78 kg)
2003Pan American Games 3rdHeavyweight (+ 78 kg)
2007Pan American Games 2ndHeavyweight (+ 78 kg)
YearTournamentPlaceWeight class
2005Pan American Judo Championships 1stHeavyweight (+ 78 kg)
2005Pan American Judo Championships 1stOpenweight
2006Pan American Judo Championships 3rdHeavyweight (+ 78 kg)
2006Pan American Judo Championships 8thOpenweight
2007Pan American Judo Championships 3rdHeavyweight (+ 78 kg)
2007Pan American Judo Championships 7thOpenweight
2008Pan American Judo Championships 5thHeavyweight (+ 78 kg)
2008Pan American Judo Championships 3rdOpenweight
2009Pan American Judo Championships 3rdHeavyweight (+ 78 kg)
2009Pan American Judo Championships 3rdOpenweight
2010Pan American Judo Championships 5thHeavyweight (+ 78 kg)
2010Pan American Judo Championships 10thOpenweight
YearTournamentPlaceWeight class
2002South American Games 1stHeavyweight (+ 78 kg)
2002South American Games 2ndOpenweight
2006South American Games 3rdHeavyweight (+ 78 kg)
2006South American Games 2ndOpenweight
2010South American Games 3rdHeavyweight (+ 78 kg)
2010South American Games 3rdOpenweight

References
  1. "Carmen Chalá". ecuadorcoe.org.ec. Ecuadoran Olympic Committee. Archived from the original on 2010-04-12. Retrieved 2010-06-21.
  2. "Las Chalá llevan el judo en la sangre" [The Chalá carry judo in their blood]. hoy.com.ec (in Spanish). Hoy Ecuador. 3 February 2010. Archived from the original on 2010-02-10. Retrieved 2010-06-21.
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