Two gifted teenage weightlifters in Montreal are fighting to compete in their sport.
Siblings Emily Ibanez, 13, and Brayan Ibanez, 17, are dual citizens living in Canada but born in Spain and they want to represent their home country.
But their family says they are being blocked by Spain’s weightlifting federation.
Emily makes lifting hundreds of pounds look like nothing, so it’s no wonder she has been called a prodigy in the sport.
At age 13 last year, she became the youngest-ever medalist in an International Weightlifting Federation competition.
Her brother Brayan was Canada’s first-ever World Youth Championships medalist.
In 2022, he broke the Panamerican youth records for his category in Olympic weightlifting.
While they love Canada and say are thankful for everything the country has given them, being born in Spain, they say it’s time they follow their heart and accomplish a dream they share.
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“My dream is to be world champion and Olympic champion representing Spain,” said Brayan without an inkling of doubt.
Emily’s face lights up when talking about competing for Spain.
“Oh my God, it’s like my dream since I was young,” she said with a smile.
But that dream has been crushed, after they say the Spanish Weightlifting Federation has not processed their request to compete for the team.
“I was very sad,” Emily said.
For a year, they say it’s been complete silence from the federation, despite their mother Abigail’s desperate pleas.
Meanwhile, the Ibanezes have missed the chance to participate in several competitions.
The family calls it unfair and their lawyer says it’s also against the teens’ fundamental rights.
“You’re impeding the children from developing to their full potential,” said lawyer Gorka Villar when reached in Spain.
Villar says he will be sending a letter to the federation asking for an explanation.
In the meantime, the family is appealing to the public to raise funds for their legal battle, and most importantly, for support as they try to rise above the obstacle.
“I have everything that’s needed to compete for Spain, so I don’t understand,” Emily said.
Global News sent multiple emails and called Spain’s weightlifting federation over the span of several days but received no answer.
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