Manuela Cárdenas, alongside her twin sister Valeria, is a standout in Ultimate – the most popular Flying Disc discipline. Representing Colombia, Manuela is focused on winning her country’s first gold at The World Games after securing silver in 2017 and bronze in 2022.
“Our style is fast, demanding, and full of chemistry,” she says.
Training for Excellence
The Colombian team analyses past performances and trains regularly – monthly camps and twice-weekly sessions – to enhance offensive strategies and boost defensive fitness.
“We’re pushing ourselves harder than ever to meet the level of the world’s best,” says Manuela.
Manuela trains daily, juggling gym workouts with office work and her clothing brand, ByCárdenas. “Speed resistance is key in our sport,” she notes. Her dedication is driven by knowing she’ll face the top players globally.
A Passion born early
Manuela started Ultimate at age nine. She and her sister quickly rose through school competitions to the national level. At 13, she competed in her first World Championship, and by 14, she played at The World Games in Colombia.
Macana – A new chapter
In 2023, Manuela co-founded Macana, a new club that’s already won back-to-back national titles. Now aiming for the Pan American Championship, she also coaches and mentors young athletes.
Getting ready for Chengdu
The National Team is well on with its preparations for endeavouring to realise their gold medal dream. Team tactics and positioning routines, along with individual skills in throwing, catching and, for example, marking opponents, have been at the forefront.
“Ultimate is a very team-oriented sport, and personally, I like to see it this way: everything I do individually contributes to what we achieve as a team. It’s a very tactical sport, and as you mature in it, you start to understand and optimize your game tactically. Defensive tactics change quite a bit depending on the opponent because there are very distinct playing styles, and positioning shifts accordingly.”
There is absolutely no doubt that this team will have trained its best for the competition in Chengdu! But there is so much more to look forward to, as Manuela concludes:
“I can already picture myself in Chengdu, going to watch other sports, looking for Colombian athletes to cheer them on, learn about their disciplines, support them, and build friendships during the tournament. I can totally see our team writing songs for the other Colombian athletes while enjoying the incredible experience of The World Games – this is a truly beautiful dream.”