Geovanny Patricio Sigüenza Alvarado He is considered one of the best taekwondo players in the country. In his golden age as an athlete he shone in different categories on a national and international level.
He delivered multiple champion titles to the province. His effective kicks also served to be an outstanding forward in his school and college days.
“This discipline has given me a lot. It is difficult to remember everything I have experienced in my life with a dobok (clothing), says Sigüenza, recognized for his discipline and dedication.
‘Sambo’ – as his closest friends call him – began practicing taekwondo at the age of six. His mentor was Professor Marco Chango, who is also his cousin. At an early age, the athlete began to show his abilities. A promising future awaited him.
After training for three years in a family academy, Sigüenza made his first call to the Azuay national team, at the age of nine.
However, a few seasons before he represented Cañar, but his affection for the province was more. At 10 years old he won his first gold medal, in Loja.
Consolidated and experienced, the titles did not take long to arrive. But taekwondo was not everything in his life; His talent helped him stand out on the soccer fields.
His goal-scoring nose helped him shine at the Hernán Cordero school and the Benigno Malo school.where he completed his secondary studies.
“I would be lying to you if I said that everything was a victory. When I was a child it was a luxury to have a dobok, we had to earn the implements. The uniform of the province was always an honor, that made me happy. I was out of breath to get there,†explains the now fourth dan black belt trainer.
Ecuadorian team
After a few seasons of defending the colors of Azuay with height, comes his opportunity to dress in the national skin. At the age of 16, his first call was made, thanks to a victory in a selective against a representative from Pichincha. This combat took place in ManabÃ.
“I wasn’t. The rival I beat, a few months before, knocked me out, but I had a revenge. Guambrito I had my first tricolor uniform, (smiles)†.
At that time, the man from Cuenca belonged to the Fin category, 50 kilograms. He traveled to Colombia for an Ibero-American Championship. He won a bronze medal. This was his first achievement as a national team.
Geovanny established himself as an athlete in the national team. The strongest challenges arrived. In 1993 he competed in the Bolivarian Games, which were held in Cochabamba, Bolivia.
Four years later one of his greatest achievements in taekwondo comes true. In 1997 he arrived in his prime at the Bolivarian Games in Arequipa, Peru. There he won the gold medal in the 64 kilograms.
On that occasion it went from less to more. In one of his fights, he defeated a home fighter. In the final he defeated an athlete from Venezuela, with a technique called ‘Yop chagui†™.
“We were tied 2-2, but I took advantage of their lack of concentration and applied this technique. He won the point and I took him off the mat. There was no time for more, the entire team celebrated with me. The medal was the first of many that Ecuador won in that edition, recalls the Sambo, who defines himself as an admirer of Bruce Lee.
That same year he was part of the Ecuadorian team that participated in the World Championship in Hong Kong. In that country, the Tricolor Team was the country in America with the most fights won. In 1998, he competed in the ODESUR Games, which were held in this city.
Geovanny defended his home team and won a bronze medal. In 2001 he was again part of the national team and at the Bolivarian Games in Ambato, he obtained a silver medal.
Despite the joys, there was a moment of sadness for Sigüenza. In 1999 she suffered a fracture of the tibia in her left leg, in a joust in Colombia. Her recovery lasted a year.
“I suffered a lot to recover. I never thought about retiring, taekwondo not only strengthens physically, but also influences mentally. It was difficult to return to my level, I had to learn to kick with my right and I am left-handed, but the fear was disappearing.
During those years he began his studies at the University of Cuenca, in the area of Physical Culture.
He also began his time as a trainer at Gimnasio Chango, then he went through the Azuay Sports Federation and also the Ecuadorian team. He combined work with his time as a taekwondo player.
Retirement as an athlete
After a long career as an athlete, at the age of 27 (2011), Geovanny decides to retire from fighting, to dedicate himself to being a coach and give more time to his family.
As a strategist, he created his own taekwondo academy. Later, in 2019, together with his brother (Guido) he created the Sigüenza Sport Marketing School. Since then he has not stopped creating new talents.
“Our philosophy is different. We form the human being first, and then the champion. You have to adapt to the new society. “We don’t teach how to fight, we teach how to avoid fights,” highlights the former Bolivarian champion.
The ‘Sambo’, now 48 years old, dedicates his time to his family and giving back what taekwondo taught him in his golden moments. He does not rule out, in the future, investing to ascend to the fifth Dan.
“This sport is a lifestyle for me. I am a person who highlights martial arts. I have always been competitive, but values come first…, adds the man from Cuenca.