Maria Renee Wong

Maria Renee Wong is an athlete.

A short introduction to yourself?

My name is Maria Renee Wong Alvarez, I’m 21 years old, I’m a high-performance karate athlete from Guatemala while studying Business Administration at Rafael Landivar University.

How did you develop your fondness for your sport and at what age did you start?

My parents used to be part of the Guatemalan Karate Team so I grew up listening to their stories and anecdotes about the competitions and eventually I started practicing Karate at the age of 7.

What is your style and what rank do you currently hold in (your sport)?

I practice Shito Ryu, and I’m a black belt in Karate

Are you a member of any sports team? if not have you ever been?

I have been a member of the National Guatemalan Karate Team since 2013

Describe your major highlights and achievements in sports in the past.

In 2016 I became Shito Ryu World Champion.

In 2018 I became Central American and Caribbean Champion.

In 2019 I became Junior PanAmerican Champion

In 2021 I won third place in the Senior PanAmerican Championship

And I have been a six times national champion

Are there any short-term goals you’d like to accomplish in the next few months to a couple of years?

My main goal is to qualify for the Central American and Caribbean Games that will take place in 2023.

Do you take sports as a profession or is it just a hobby?

I take it as my profession because of the passion I have towards it and because I’m currently part of the Guatemalan Olympic Committee’s high-performance athletes’ program.

What challenges have you faced in getting to where you are now? You can also share any injury story.

It has been difficult to combine my studies with the sport because excellence is always required for both, so I have spent many nights up late working and the next day getting up early to fulfil all my responsibilities. Also, on many occasions’ karate has to be prioritized over family and social gatherings and since it’s a sport that consists of weight divisions, it is also imperative to eat as healthy and balanced as possible.

What motivates you most about your profession as an athlete?

It motivates me to continue placing Guatemala at the top of the podium and make Guatemalans proud of our athletes.

Do you have anything you want everyone to learn?

I would like to learn to speak Japanese, because it’s related to Karate

What tournament or match you have won are you most proud of and why

I have been the proudest of winning the Junior Panamerican Championship, because the gold medal in that tournament was my goal since I was 12 years old so I had to work hard for six years to finally achieve my childhood dream

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