Don’t let anything or anyone get in the way of your dreams!"
At age 13, Mariafe Artacho del Solar became a breakout star, making her international debut at the Under 19 World Championships.
She went on to compete in eight world junior representative teams before qualifying for the 2016 Rio Olympics at age 21, and winning a silver medal five years later in Tokyo. That achievement – her career highlight – was fulfilling a goal sparked by a postcard signed by Kerri Potharst and Natalie Cook that Mariafe had come across in her childhood.
From the moment she’d seen the sporting legends’ words urging people to chase their dreams, Mariafe had set her sights on becoming an Olympic medallist one day.
Talking Points
Finding Your Inner Strength & Confidence
For most sports there is an "ideal" size and shape, but being an outlier doesn't mean an athlete can't be successful. Mariafe knows this all too well when she was told she was too short to make it as a professional athlete. She wasn’t always the first pick because of her height, but this gave Mariafe the resilience, passion, confidence to fight for her dreams. Finding Your Inner Strength & Confidence
A strong role model for aspiring athletes, Mariafe is passionate about building the same resilience, passion and courage in the community. Beach volleyball is a mental game, says Mariafe, and playing in all types of weather conditions (sometimes extreme) and diverse locations around the world has helped build the inner strength and discipline that is required to compete at elite level. Mariafe speaks about how she broke down sport stereotypes, dealt with the challenges thrown at her, found her inner strength and confidence, and offers her advice for others on how they can do the same.
From Peru to Volleyball Star to Entrepreneur
Mariafe’s personal journey to becoming an Olympic star is one of dedication and absolute commitment making her an inspiring voice for young athletes.From Peru to Volleyball Star to Entrepreneur
She spent her early childhood in Lima, Peru, before moving to Australia at age 11 with very little and speaking no English.
Forced to start all over again, Mariafe’s brother first introduced her to beach volleyball at Manly, Sydney. It was love at first spike. Today, her commitment to her sport and her unwavering determination have seen her become one of the best in the world - and in Paris 2024, she is widely tipped to earn another Olympic medal with her teammate Taliqua Clancy.
But her success as an athlete is not enough for Mariafe who truly understands the importance of future proofing her career, andin 2023 she launched a loungewear label ‘del Solar the Label’ with her husband Jack. Proving that you never need to be just one thing - Mariafe shares her journey from schoolgirl, to world-class athlete to entrepreneur and the lessons she’s learnt along the way.
