At just 21 years old, she is already an Olympic shooting champion, lives with the elite of the sport in the CAR of Sant Cugat, is studying three university degrees and is the youngest of the members of Hypatia I
This research project studies what life on Mars would be like and serves as an inspiration to many girls and women who lack scientific references
Helena Arias He goes from here to there by public transport. He could live in the family home but he prefers to do it in the CHAR because it falls closer to Terrassa. There she studies not one, not two, but three careers-“well, I do Physics part-time, little by little & rdquor;-and she dedicates the afternoons to sports.
Specifically, Olympic shooting. As if that were not enough, at the age of 15 she agreed to a scholarship that has led her, at 21, to be the youngest member of the Hypatia I project. Together with eight other women, she carries out scientific research to find out what our life on Mars would be like. . “A few weeks ago we carried out a two-week simulation in the Utah desert and the experience has been very interesting.. Another colleague and I stayed ‘on land’ and lived the rest ‘in situ’. We collect information that will be of great use, for sure,” explains Helena Arias. And she is only, I insist, twenty-one years old.
PASSION FOR SCIENCE
It is impossible not to catch the passion for what he does. Explain each achievement or each challenge with overwhelming naturalness and without neon lights. For her, “Hypatia is much more than research. We are a group of women who want to make visible that we too can do things in this field. Girls need scientific references to be inspired by and we believe that our work can help some decide to study something that, until recently, seemed impossible,” says Helena. There are many who ask him if he is going to get on a rocket tomorrow or if he is going to live on Mars. The tendency to simplify goes against science and Arias insists that it be very clear what this mission consists of to avoid frivolization about it. Although seeing her in the blue jumpsuit is shocking, the truth is that “I’m just a student who really wants to do things. Media? We have few and it is very likely that you will end up working abroad. It is a complicated fight & rdquor ;, she laments her.
LOVE FOR SPORT
The parents of helena They were very clear that their children would learn sports, languages and music. She tried taekwondo, soccer-“she played goalkeeper and she wasn’t very good but she wanted to,” she says, laughing- until she discovered precision shooting. This discipline caught her. “She brings values, knowledge and concentration, something that suits me very well for my studies. My academic career is the most important thing and what gives me security and sport, my hobby. But I am competitive and I would like to go to the Olympic Games, of course I am & rdquor ;, she admits. Paris is on the horizon “and it is a dream. But I also look beyond, to Los Angeles. To be there you have to fight a lot but I’m going for it.” She knows that “I am not going to make a living from this sport even being number one but I enjoy it & rdquor ;. sacrificed? She looks at me and convinces me: “It’s not because I like it a lot & rdquor ;.
TO BE DIFFERENT
Sitting on some old chairs right next to an athletics track, I see Helena Arias as an extraordinary person. Her peculiar and fantastic path runs through it naturally and, paradoxically, at a certain distance. I ask her if she’s ever felt like a ‘weird’. “Yes but no,” he replies. I am a normal person with peculiar tastes who feels very comfortable with herself.” It wasn’t always like this. There was a more difficult stage that he solved by “changing schools and surrounding myself with an environment that supported me. I had a bad time but today I have a perfect environment and I feel very good.” Noticeable. She looks happy, satisfied and content with this life that is so curious for some and so rich for others. The truth is that the combination results in a woman whose passion for Olympic shooting complements her academic career. Once again it is shown that sport is a tool that, on a mental and physical level, helps to grow and multiply. Keep an eye on Helena Arias. On this planet or any other, she is called to do something great.
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