View source for Alexandra Escobar

{{Short description|Ecuadorian weightlifter (born 1980)}}
{{family name hatnote|Escobar|Guerrero|lang=Spanish}} 
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2024}}
{{Infobox sportsperson
| image          = 
| caption        = 
| full_name      = María Alexandra Escobar Guerrero
| birth_date     = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1980|7|17}}
| birth_place    = [[Esmeraldas, Ecuador|Esmeraldas]], Ecuador
| height         = 1.58 m
| weight         = 58 kg
| country        = {{ECU}}
| sport          = [[Olympic weightlifting|Weightlifting]]
| club           = Federación Deportiva de Esmeraldas 
| event          = 58 kg
| turnedpro      = 
| coach          = Javier Perez Rosas
| medaltemplates =
{{MedalCompetition|[[World Weightlifting Championships|World Championships]]}}
{{MedalSilver|[[2013 World Weightlifting Championships|2013 Wrocław]]|–58 kg}}
{{MedalBronze | [[2001 World Weightlifting Championships|2001 Antalya]] | –53 kg}}
{{MedalCompetition |[[Pan American Games]]}}
{{MedalGold| [[2007 Pan American Games|2007 Rio de Janeiro]] | –58 kg}}
{{MedalGold| [[Weightlifting at the 2011 Pan American Games|2011 Guadalajara]] | –58 kg }}
{{MedalSilver|[[Weightlifting at the 2019 Pan American Games|2019 Lima]]|[[Weightlifting at the 2019 Pan American Games – Women's 59 kg|–59&nbsp;kg]]}}
{{MedalCompetition|[[Pan American Weightlifting Championships|Pan American Championships]]}}
{{MedalGold| [[2008 Pan American Weightlifting Championships|2008 Callao]] | –58&nbsp;kg}}
{{MedalGold| [[2010 Pan American Weightlifting Championships|2010 Guatemala City]] | –58&nbsp;kg}}
{{MedalCompetition |[[South American Games]]}}
{{MedalGold| [[Weightlifting at the 2010 South American Games|2010 Medellín]] | –58 kg }}
}}

'''María Alexandra Escobar Guerrero''' (born 17 July 1980)<ref name="IWF results" /> is an [[Ecuador]]ian [[Powerlifting|weightlifter]].

At the [[2001 World Weightlifting Championships]] in [[Antalya]], Turkey she won gold in the 53&nbsp;kg category in the [[clean and jerk]], bronze in the [[snatch (weightlifting)|snatch]], and the overall bronze medal with a total lift of 205&nbsp;kg.<ref>{{cite news |title=Three records for Emine but no medals |url=http://www.turkishdailynews.com.tr/archives.php?id=25789 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20070628082514/http://www.turkishdailynews.com.tr/archives.php?id=25789 |url-status=dead |archive-date=28 June 2007 |accessdate=12 August 2008 |work=Turkish Daily News |date=7 November 2001}}</ref>

She ranked 7th in the Woman's 58&nbsp;kg category at the [[2004 Summer Olympics]], lifting 215&nbsp;kg in total.<ref name="IWF results" />

At the [[2006 World Weightlifting Championships]] she ranked 16th in the 58&nbsp;kg category, and at the [[2007 World Weightlifting Championships]] she ranked 5th in the same category, lifting a total of 220&nbsp;kg.<ref name="IWF results" />

Escobar won the gold medal in the 58&nbsp;kg category at the [[2008 Pan American Weightlifting Championships]].<ref name="IWF results" />

Escobar has competed five times at the Olympics in the women's 58 kg weight class. In the [[Weightlifting at the 2004 Summer Olympics – Women's 58 kg|2004 Summer Olympics]] she finished 7th with a 215&nbsp;kg total.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.olympedia.org/results/30386 |title=Lightweight (≤58 kilograms), Women (2004) |website=olympedia.org |access-date=26 December 2023}}</ref> At [[Weightlifting at the 2008 Summer Olympics – Women's 58 kg|Beijing 2008]] she ranked 4th with 223&nbsp;kg in total.<ref name="IWF results">{{cite web |title=ESCOBAR Alexandra |publisher=International Weightlifting Federation |url=http://www.iwf.net/results/results_athlete_e.php?compid=596 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110527161216/http://www.iwf.net/results/results_athlete_e.php?compid=596 |archivedate=27 May 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.olympedia.org/results/263087 |title=Lightweight (≤58 kilograms), Women (2008) |website=olympedia.org |access-date=26 December 2023}}</ref> At the [[Weightlifting at the 2012 Summer Olympics – Women's 58 kg|2012 Summer Olympics]] she finished 7th with a total of 226&nbsp;kg.<ref name="iwf">{{cite web |url=http://www.iwf.net/2011/07/18/ioc-solidarity-qa-alexandra-escobar/ |title=IOC Solidarity Q&A: Alexandra Escobar &#124; International Weightlifting Federation |publisher=Iwf.net |date=18 July 2011 |accessdate=5 December 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.olympedia.org/results/331027 |title=Lightweight (≤58 kilograms), Women (2012) |website=olympedia.org |access-date=26 December 2023}}</ref> At the [[Weightlifting at the 2016 Summer Olympics – Women's 58 kg|2016 Summer Olympics]] she finished 4th (223&nbsp;kg) and at the [[Weightlifting at the 2020 Summer Olympics – Women's 59 kg|2020 Summer Olympics]] she recorded a {{Abbr|DNF|Did not finish}}.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/103539 |title=Alexandra Escobar |website=olympedia.org |publisher=[[OlyMADMen]] |access-date=26 December 2023}}</ref>

Escobar was the [[List of flag bearers for Ecuador at the Olympics|Ecuadorian flag-bearer]] in the opening ceremonies for the 2004, 2008 and 2020 Olympic Games.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.olympedia.org/flagbearers?country_id=ECU |title=Flagbearers for Ecuador |website=olympedia.org |publisher=[[OlyMADMen]] |access-date=26 December 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://stillmed.olympics.com/media/Documents/News/2021/07/Tokyo-2020-Opening-Ceremony-Flag-bearers-Marching-order.pdf?_ga=2.120143808.953436897.1650413868-amp-l66ZUeFJZSYK8m2QhwGA_A |title=The flagbearers for the Tokyo 2020 Opening Ceremony |website=olympics.com |publisher=[[International Olympic Committee|IOC]] |access-date=26 December 2023}}</ref>

==Early life==
Escobar's parents struggled to support her, and soon sent her to be raised by her aunt Luisa Marquez.<ref name="hoy">{{cite web |url=http://www.hoy.com.ec |title=Noticias del Ecuador y el mundo &#124; Ecuador – Quito – Guayaquil |publisher=HOY |date=14 October 2011 |accessdate=5 December 2013}}</ref> It was Luisa's daughter, Adela Marquez, who introduced Escobar to the sport of weightlifting.<ref name="hoy" />  From an early age Escobar knew that sports would likely present the best opportunity to escape the poverty she had inherited at birth.<ref name="hoy" />

Escobar was found by a local coach in Esmeraldas named Silvio Mila.<ref name="memorias"/> Mila practically refused to let Escobar walk away from the sport, and just four months after beginning to train in the sport she won her first medal and was shortly thereafter invited to join the Ecuadorian Weightlifting team.<ref name="memorias" /> Escobar first found international success in 2001 at the World Championships in Antalya, Turkey where she won a gold medal in the 53&nbsp;kg Clean & Jerk event. Escobar has also found considerable success on her home continent winning 18 gold medals in various major South American competitions.<ref name="london2012"/> She has competed in three Olympic Games all in the 58&nbsp;kg event, and is currently working towards qualifying for the 2016 games to be held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.<ref name="london2012"/> Escobar and her husband Dario Xavier Garcia have one son, Dominic Ramses Garcia.<ref name="london2012"/> She is currently coached by the Cuban Javier Perez Rosas, and trains in her home town of Esmeraldas.<ref name="iwf"/> The government has provided her with facilities to train in and a monthly stipend to allow her to focus solely on weightlifting.<ref name="iwf"/>

==Pan American Championships==

While Alexandra Escobar has competed in three Olympic Games and several World Championships her greatest success has undoubtedly come at the [[2008 Pan American Weightlifting Championships|Pan American Championships]]. She first appeared on the Pan American stage in 2008 at the games held in Callao, Peru when she swept the 58&nbsp;kg events, winning three gold medals 1 each in the 58&nbsp;kg, the 58&nbsp;kg – snatch, and the 58&nbsp;kg – clean & jerk. Since the 2008 games in Callao Escobar has won 10 gold medals, 2 silvers, and 1 bronze.<ref name="london2012"/> Making that even more impressive, she won back to back to back gold medals in both the 58&nbsp;kg and the 58&nbsp;kg – clean & jerk during the 2008, 2009 and 2010 games.<ref name="london2012"/> Escobar is showing no signs of slowing down either having recently won gold medals in 58&nbsp;kg, the 58&nbsp;kg – snatch and the 58&nbsp;kg – clean & jerk events at the 2013 games held in Caracas, Venezuela.<ref name="london2012"/>

==Olympic Games==

Alexandra Escobar's dream is to win an Olympic medal, and she has competed in five games so far. She first competed in the Olympics in 2004 in Athens, Greece. She then returned in the 2008 games in Beijing, China. Finally, she competed in London, England during the 2012 games. Prior to the 2012 games, Escobar said:

{{cquote|What I really want is to step up onto the podium and hear my country's national anthem. I've won medals at all the other major competitions – the South American, Bolivian and Pan American Games, and the World Championships. The only thing I don't have is the Olympic medal, which is why I'm going to give it everything I have to win one in London.}}

Escobar has yet to accomplish this goal as her best finish so far was fourth place in the 2008 and 2016 games. In the opening ceremony of the 2008 games, Escobar was the flag bearer for her home country Ecuador. Escobar considers this a great honor that was bestowed upon her.<ref name="memorias">{{cite web |url=http://memoriasdeldeporte.com |title=Memorias del Deporte |publisher=Memorias del Deporte |accessdate=5 December 2013 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131212071716/http://memoriasdeldeporte.com/ |archivedate=12 December 2013}}</ref> Her other finishes in the Olympics were 7th place in 2004 and 9th in 2012. After the disappointing finish in London, there was some speculation that Escobar would retire as she has spoken about an interest in coaching and studying sports science.<ref name="london2012"/> However this soon proved false as she has returned to competitions in 2013.

==World Championships==

Alexandra Escobar has competed in eight World Championships. She has won one gold medal, in 2001, and has finished second on two occasions, both occurring in the 2013 games held in Wroclaw, Poland.<ref name="london2012">{{cite web |url=http://london2012.bio.infostradasports.com/asp/lib/TheASP.asp?pageid=8937&personid=291183&sportid=206&ContainerSportID=-1&Cache=8 |title=London 2012 |publisher=London2012.bio.infostradasports.com |accessdate=5 December 2013 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131211210601/http://london2012.bio.infostradasports.com/asp/lib/TheASP.asp?pageid=8937&personid=291183&sportid=206&ContainerSportID=-1&Cache=8 |archivedate=11 December 2013}}</ref> She has also won four bronze medals, in 2001, 2003 and 2013. Her medals have all came in the 58&nbsp;kg, 58&nbsp;kg – snatch and 58&nbsp;kg – clean & jerk events.

==Controversy==

In October 2003, Escobar threatened to boycott the World Championships that were being held in Vancouver, Canada later that year unless the governing committee canceled a twenty thousand dollar fine that was imposed on a fellow competitor.<ref name="telegrafo"/> Ultimately, the issue was resolved and Escobar attended the games winning a bronze medal in the 58&nbsp;kg – snatch event. This event painted Escobar as a martyr in the eyes of the weightlifting community and garnered her significant respect among her fellow competitors.<ref name="telegrafo">{{cite web |url=http://www.telegrafo.com.ec |title=El Telégrafo, Decano de la Prensa Nacional &#124; Ecuador |publisher=Telegrafo.com.ec |date= |accessdate=5 December 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151216043416/http://telegrafo.com.ec/ |archive-date=16 December 2015 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

==Major results==
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
! rowspan=2 width=40 | Year
! rowspan=2 width=250 | Venue
! rowspan=2 width=60 | Weight
! colspan=4 | Snatch (kg)
! colspan=4 | Clean & Jerk (kg)
! rowspan=2 width=60 |  Total
! rowspan=2 width=40 |  Rank
|-
! width=60 | 1
! width=60 | 2
! width=60 | 3
! width=45 | Rank
! width=60 | 1
! width=60 | 2
! width=60 | 3
! width=45 | Rank
|-
! colspan=13 | [[Weightlifting at the Summer Olympics|Olympic Games]]<ref>{{cite Sports-Reference |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/es/alexandra-escobar-1.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200418010301/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/es/alexandra-escobar-1.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=2020-04-18 |title=Alexandra Escobar (full name: María Alexandra Escobar Guerrero)}}</ref>

|-
| [[Weightlifting at the 2004 Summer Olympics|2004]] || align=left | {{flag icon|GRE}} [[Athens]], Greece || [[Weightlifting at the 2004 Summer Olympics – Women's 58 kg|58 kg]] || '''95.0''' || <s>100.0</s> || <s>100.0</s> || 6 || 115.0 || '''120.0''' || <s>122.5</s> || 7 || '''215.0''' || 7
|-
| [[Weightlifting at the 2008 Summer Olympics|2008]] || align=left | {{flag icon|CHN}} [[Beijing]], China<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://results.beijing2008.cn/WRM/ENG/BIO/Athlete/6/206306.shtml |title=Athlete biography at Beijing2008.cn |access-date=12 August 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080909171625/http://results.beijing2008.cn/WRM/ENG/BIO/Athlete/6/206306.shtml |archive-date=9 September 2008 |url-status=dead}}</ref> || [[Weightlifting at the 2008 Summer Olympics – Women's 58 kg|58 kg]] || <s>96</s> || 96 || '''99''' || 2 || 120 || '''124''' || <s>127</s> || 4 || '''223''' || 4
|-
| [[Weightlifting at the 2012 Summer Olympics|2012]] || align=left | {{flag icon|GBR}} [[London]], England || [[Weightlifting at the 2012 Summer Olympics – Women's 58 kg|58 kg]] || <s>100</S> || 100 || '''103''' || 2 || '''123''' || <s>127</s> || <s>127</s> || 8 || '''226''' || 7 
|-
| [[Weightlifting at the 2016 Summer Olympics|2016]] || align=left | {{flag icon|BRA}} [[Rio de Janeiro]], Brazil || [[Weightlifting at the 2016 Summer Olympics – Women's 58 kg|58 kg]] || 97 || '''100''' || <s>102</s> || 4 || 118 || 121 || '''123''' || 5 || '''223''' || 4 
|-
| [[Weightlifting at the 2020 Summer Olympics|2020]] || align=left | {{flag icon|JPN}} [[Tokyo]], Japan || [[Weightlifting at the 2020 Summer Olympics – Women's 59 kg|59 kg]] || <s>95</s> || <s>95</s> || <s>95</s> || - || - || - || - || - || - || DNF
|-
! colspan=13 | [[World Weightlifting Championships|World Championships]]
|-
| [[2001 World Weightlifting Championships|2001]] || align=left| {{flagicon|TUR}} [[Antalya]], Turkey || [[2001 World Weightlifting Championships – Women's 53 kg|53 kg]] || 85.0 || <s>90.0</s> || '''90.0''' || {{Bronze3}} || <s>110.0</s> || 110.0 || '''115.0''' || {{Gold1}} || '''205.0''' || {{Bronze3}}
|-
| [[2002 World Weightlifting Championships|2002]] || align=left | {{flag icon|POL}} [[Warsaw]], Poland || [[2002 World Weightlifting Championships – Women's 53 kg|53 kg]] || '''87.5''' || <s>90.0</s> || <s>92.5</s> || 6 || <s>110.0</s> || <s>110.0</s> || <s>110.0</s> || - || - || DNF 
|-
| [[2003 World Weightlifting Championships|2003]] || align=left | {{flag icon|CAN}} [[Vancouver]], Canada || [[2003 World Weightlifting Championships – Women's 58 kg|58 kg]] || <s>90.0</s> || 90.0 || '''92.5''' || {{Bronze3}} || 110.0 || '''115.0'''|| <s>120.0</s> || 5 || '''207.5''' || 4
|-
| [[2006 World Weightlifting Championships|2006]] || align=left| {{flagicon|DOM}} [[Santo Domingo]], Dominican Republic || [[2005 World Weightlifting Championships – Women's 58 kg|58 kg]] || 82 || <s>85</s> || '''85''' || 15 || <s>103</s> || <s>103</s> || '''103''' || 19 || '''188''' || 16
|-
| [[2007 World Weightlifting Championships|2007]] || align=left| {{flagicon|THA}} [[Chang Mai]], Thailand || [[2007 World Weightlifting Championships – Women's 58 kg|58 kg]] || 95 || '''99''' || <s>101</s> || 4 || 118 || '''121''' || <s>124</s> || 6 || '''220''' || 5
|-
| [[2010 World Weightlifting Championships|2010]] || align=left | {{flag icon|TUR}} [[Antalya]], Turkey || [[2010 World Weightlifting Championships – Women's 58 kg|58 kg]] || 95 || <s>100</s> || '''100''' || 4 || 120 || 124 || '''127''' || 4 || '''227''' || 4 
|-
| [[2011 World Weightlifting Championships|2011]] || align=left | {{flag icon|FRA}} [[Paris]], France || [[2011 World Weightlifting Championships – Women's 58 kg|58 kg]] || <s>95</s> || '''95''' || <s>98</s> || 6 || 117 || <s>120</s> || - || 10 || '''212''' || 9
|-
| [[2013 World Weightlifting Championships|2013]] || align=left| {{flagicon|POL}} [[Wrocław]], Poland || [[2013 World Weightlifting Championships – Women's 58 kg|58 kg]] || 98 || '''103''' || <s>106</s> || {{Bronze3}} || <s>120</s> || 120 || '''122''' || {{Silver2}} || '''225''' || {{Silver2}}
|-
| [[2014 World Weightlifting Championships|2014]] || align=left| {{flagicon|KAZ}} [[Almaty]], Kazakhstan || [[2014 World Weightlifting Championships – Women's 63 kg|63 kg]] || 100 || 104 || '''105''' || 11 || '''122''' || <s>127</s> || <s>127</s> || 14 || '''227''' || 13
|-
| [[2015 World Weightlifting Championships|2015]] || align=left| {{flagicon|USA}} [[Houston]], United States || [[2015 World Weightlifting Championships – Women's 58 kg|58 kg]] || 94 || <s>97</s> || '''97''' || 5 || 117 || '''120''' || <s>124</s> || 8 || '''217''' || 6
|-
| [[2017 World Weightlifting Championships|2017]] || align=left | {{flag icon|USA}} [[Anaheim]], United States || [[2017 World Weightlifting Championships – Women's 58 kg|58 kg]] || 93 || '''96''' || <s>99</s> || 5 || 116 || 119 || '''122''' || {{Bronze3}} || '''218''' || 5 
|-
| [[2018 World Weightlifting Championships|2018]] || align=left | {{flag icon|TKM}} [[Ashgabat]], Turkmenistan || [[2018 World Weightlifting Championships – Women's 55 kg|55 kg]] || 91 || '''93''' || <s>95</s> || 5 || 113 || <s>116</s> || '''116''' || 6 || '''209''' || 7
|-
| [[2019 World Weightlifting Championships|2019]] || align=left | {{flag icon|THA}} [[Pattaya]], Thailand || [[2019 World Weightlifting Championships – Women's 59 kg|59 kg]] || 85 || 87 || '''90''' || 17 || 105 || 110 || '''115''' || 13 || '''205''' || 13 
|-
| [[2021 World Weightlifting Championships|2021]] || align=left | {{flag icon|UZB}} [[Tashkent]], Uzbekistan || [[2021 World Weightlifting Championships – Women's 59 kg|59 kg]] || 85 || '''90''' || <s>92</s> || 9 || 112 || <s>116</s> || <s>116</s> || 9 || '''202''' || 8
|}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{IWF|id=7853|athlete=escobar-guerrero-maria-alexandra-1980-07-17|name=Maria Alexandra Escobar Guerrero}}
* {{2019 Pan American Games profile|weightlifting/athlete-profile-n1134229-escobar-maria-a-|María A. Escobar|www-archive=20240830005948}}
* {{Olympics.com}}
* {{Olympedia}}

{{s-start}}
{{s-sports|oly}}
{{succession box
| before = [[Martha Tenorio]]
| title = [[List of flag bearers for Ecuador at the Olympics|Flag bearer]] for {{ECU}}
| years = [[2004 Summer Olympics|Athens 2004]]
[[2008 Summer Olympics|Beijing 2008]]
| after = [[César de Cesare]]
}}
{{succession box
| before = [[Klaus Jungbluth]]
| title = [[List of flag bearers for Ecuador at the Olympics|Flag bearer]] for {{ECU}}
| with  = [[Julio Castillo]]
| years = [[2020 Summer Olympics|Tokyo 2020]]
| after = [[Sarah Escobar]]
}}
{{s-end}}

{{Footer Pan American Games Champions Weightlifting Women Lightweight}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Escobar, Alexandra}}
[[Category:1980 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:World Weightlifting Championships medalists]]
[[Category:Olympic weightlifters for Ecuador]]
[[Category:Weightlifters at the 2004 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Weightlifters at the 2008 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Weightlifters at the 2012 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Weightlifters at the 2016 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Weightlifters at the 2007 Pan American Games]]
[[Category:Sportspeople from Esmeraldas, Ecuador]]
[[Category:Ecuadorian female weightlifters]]
[[Category:Pan American Games gold medalists for Ecuador]]
[[Category:Pan American Games gold medalists in weightlifting]]
[[Category:Weightlifters at the 2015 Pan American Games]]
[[Category:South American Games gold medalists for Ecuador]]
[[Category:South American Games medalists in weightlifting]]
[[Category:Competitors at the 2010 South American Games]]
[[Category:Weightlifters at the 2019 Pan American Games]]
[[Category:Medalists at the 2007 Pan American Games]]
[[Category:Medalists at the 2019 Pan American Games]]
[[Category:Medalists at the 2011 Pan American Games]]
[[Category:Weightlifters at the 2020 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:21st-century Ecuadorian sportswomen]]
[[Category:Weightlifters at the 2003 Pan American Games]]