2019 World runner-up with the Spanish handball team, of which she is captain. Bronze at the 2012 London Olympic Games, bronze also at the 2011 World Championship in Brazil. Runner-up in the 2014 European Handball Championship in Hungary and Croatia. Silvia Navarro’s (Valencia, 1979) curriculum is brilliant, and draws the profile of a Born worker with extensive experience in sports competitions to which she still has a lot to give. A strong woman, fighter and committed to equality and sports.
For all this, and for having demonstrated values of commitment and sportsmanship throughout her career, Iberdrola has wanted to count on her to be part of the jury of honor for the Iberdrola SuperA Awards. Awards that, framed within the company’s commitment to promoting gender equality, recognize and promote excellence for women in sport.
We spoke with Silvia about the awards, about the importance of supporting and promoting women’s sport, and about how the situation of women has changed in recent years, both in sports and in life in general.
What did you think when you were offered to be a member of the honorary jury of the SuperA awards?
For me it is a privilege that they have me as an honorary jury, because any athlete would be delighted to be part of it, and it is a source of pride that they count on me.
What message would you like to see the public reach regarding sport and women?
I would like them to bet on women, both in sports and in any area of life. That we have the same importance and rights as any human being to perform our work in the best possible way. So what there must be gender equality for society to be a just society, for future generations.
How important do you think the involvement of companies is in promoting equality and the inclusion of women in sport?
The involvement of companies to promote women in sports, and in any job, is essential. As is the case with Iberdrola, which has a clear and firm commitment for women to position themselves in society as they deserve. It is a constant bet that positions us both in sport, as is our day to day.
And, what difficulties have you encountered as a woman when developing your professional career?
I have encountered many difficulties when carrying out my work, because they did not give us the same opportunities or the same rights as men. But luckily that has changed in recent years, as women are gradually positioning themselves both in sports and in our daily lives. Now we can speak of equality with respect to previous years.
How do you think the situation of women has changed with respect to professional sports?
It has changed, because now they are betting on women, on women’s sports; because both federations and companies, as institutions, turn to us; because the media echoes that we can do our job, achieve the same achievements, and manage our lives like anyone else. They give us the opportunity to exercise as athletes, mothers and as professionals, and that is vital for us.
A tip for girls who want to be elite athletes.
My advice to these “little ones” is that they fight for their dreams, whatever they may be, that anything is possible in this life, and that no one let their dreams vanish; that times have changed, and that people are fighting hard to leave a good legacy to them tomorrow.
The Iberdrola SuperA Awards have celebrated its second edition with a successful call (up to 690 nominations submitted), consolidating itself as benchmark awards in the fight for gender equality.
With this action, the energy company, one of the world’s leading companies and a leader in renewables, supports projects, programs and initiatives that focus on the role of women in the world of sport, endowing with a prize of 50,000 euros to the best candidacy of each one of the six categories: Sports Base, Competition, Inclusion, Social Integration, Diffusion and Sustainability.
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