Sailing into a New Life: The inspirational journey of Chilean Para Sailor Zaida Pérez Bugueño

Zaida, who is also a surfer, engineer, and painter, has been in a wheelchair since the age of 30 following a car accident. While she excelled in academics, she says she was “not good at sports” before sailing.

Sailing, however, has profoundly changed her life.

She said, “Since I started to go to competitions, it has been like starting my life again. It just came in a moment in time when I was getting divorced and my kids had grown up and started their own lives. So, for me, coming to competition and seeing that I can do it, and it’s possible doing something like that, was like starting a new life. Like writing some new pages of my life book where I could just go for my happiness, thinking about myself, thinking about what my soul asked me to do.

“It’s joy and many people around me, family, and friends; they feel so proud. And I started to feel proud of myself as well. I didn’t have that feeling before. I’d never won a competition in my whole life. I have been in wheelchair for about 20-22 years. And I was not good at sports. I was very good at school, very smart and everything at the university and everything. But not with the sport, so it has been amazing for me.”

Zaida’s first international competition was at the World Sailing Championships in The Hague 2023. Last year she has been recognised as the best para-sailor by the Chilean Paralympic Committee. Receiving this honour was a surprising and amazing source of motivation.

“For me, it was amazing, you know? Very surprising because I am one of the newest sailors at my club, but I do my best to improve. And for me, it was a good motivation to keep going, to keep doing it, and to not give up,” she says.

As the sole Chilean representative at the upcoming World Inclusion Championships in Oman, Zaida feels a huge sense of responsibility and sees it as an honour to carry her country’s flag. Given that Chile lacks the resources and boats to support many sailors at international competition, her efforts are a big commitment, especially due to the high cost of travel.

Despite this, her message to aspiring Chilean sailors is clear: dream, dream big and also go after your dreams behind your dreams.

“If you are very conscious about putting in all your effort and giving your best, you can conquer anything. So, for the sailors here in Chile, you can do it! Keep trying, keep trying and don’t give up, practise, practise and practise. That’s the most important thing.”

Zaida trains at a Pilates centre and goes sailing in Valparaíso. Lacking a club coach, she learns from friends in other countries and by watching sailing videos, constantly practicing and trying again on her own.

“When I go sailing on my own, I try to practise and see how it works, then I try again, try again, and try again. That’s it. I never think I am 100% ready to compete in a championship, but I do my best,” she says.

“When you do your best, everything is possible.”

Zaida is a strong supporter of Para Inclusive Sailing, and especially the prospect of returning to the Paralympic Games for Brisbane 2032.

Para Inclusive Sailing is one of the few sports where the disability disappears; the athlete is the same as others.

“Sailing for us is one of the few sports where we can be the same as other people because in the water we leave the wheelchair on the dock. In the boat you are the same as others, your disability disappears, and that’s why this sport is not just a sport that could help us to be strong, both our bodies and better health, but also your mind. Sailing helps you to feel good about yourself.

“I would encourage anybody reading this and following us to support us to return to the Paralympic Games because sailing is a sport that changes lives and I would love to help to spread this sport to more cities in my country.”

Returning to the Paralympics would unlock much-needed funding and support, which is currently difficult to access. This support is vital for growing the sport in Chile and beyond.

“If we return to the Paralympic Games, we will have more support from our governments. We can spread the sport. Many doors have been closed from the government because it’s not in the Paralympics,” says Zaida.

“Sailing is one of the few sports that make us feel the same conditions in the water, in a boat, with somebody that is not disabled. And it’s just amazing because that is inclusive, that is make us feel equal to others and it’s great.

“So please, please, if you can support any way, this for us is just amazing.”