WHEELCHAIR TENNIS PARALYMPIC HOPEFUL
MARTÍN
DE LA PUENTE
DE LA PUENTE
Inspiring stories from athletes around the world.
Inspiring stories from athletes around the world.
Martin-De-La-Puente - Wheelchair Tennis
I think from competing at Rio I learned that anything can be possible in that week
MARTÍN DE LA PUENTE
Facing obstacles with a smile.
On social posts, Martín de la Puente always seems to be smiling. That’s because he has an insatiable love for life. It’s helped him get through the toughest of times. Not even being born with Proteus syndrome, a bone growth disorder, one of the rarest in the world, could hold him back. So even after 16 surgeries, he couldn’t wait to get back out there and keep living. Martín continued to excel at swimming. Water polo. Basketball and even chess. But it was his love for wheelchair tennis that has made him one of the best players in the world.
Watch VideoJun. 22, 1999
Born
Spain
Country
Wheelchair Tennis
Sport
4
National Master Titles
Find what you love and give it everything.
Martín poured everything into tennis. And at just 17 years old, he already had three national titles and was a three-time Junior World Champion. Then, Martín fulfilled his dream to go to the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games. And to make his goal of medaling at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games a reality, he made a big sacrifice: He left his friends and family to train full time. Because, for Martín, not giving everything on the court was impossible, but infinitely more difficult than leaving his parents to see if his dreams would come true.
THE TEST IS NOT
ON THE COURT.
IT'S IN YOUR
HEAD.
ON THE COURT.
IT'S IN YOUR
HEAD.
Pursuing greatness and gold.
Now, Martín is headed to Tokyo. And he’s not just happy to be there, he's ecstatic. Global Team Toyota is proud to call Martín a teammate and supports his quest not only to reach the podium, but to continue taking the sport of wheelchair tennis to the highest level. Thanks to his unrelenting positivity and his drive to compete, Martín is an inspiration for us all to do what we dream.
Bebe-Vio - Wheelchair Fencing
PARALYMPIC WHEELCHAIR
FENCING GOLD
MEDALIST
FENCING GOLD
MEDALIST
BEBE
VIO
VIO
%20copy_tcm-10-2258391.png)
I’ve dreamed of this gold for a long time. Now I got it. Now it’s other people's turn. Go out and pick some sports, no matter if you are [impaired] or able-bodied. It's very important.
BEBE VIO
A fighter from the beginning.
Bebe Vio is like a little ball of positive energy. Passionate and inspiring. Her motto is “Life is too good.” And every time she wins a match and lets out that celebratory scream, we all become believers.
At five years old, Bebe already showed a raw talent for fencing. A natural with the foil—agile on her feet with lightning-fast reflexes. But at age 11, she faced the ultimate battle when she was diagnosed with meningitis. The disease led to the amputation of her arms and legs, but she refused to let it take her dreams of becoming a champion. And with her unrelenting work ethic, it wouldn’t be long before she would take home the gold while inspiring the world.
Mar. 4, 1997
Born
Venice, Italy
Hometown
Wheelchair Fencing
Sport
2
Gold Medal Count
First steps of a long journey.
The road to recovery wouldn’t be easy, but Bebe took on rehab like any other challenge she faced: with ferocious positivity. And after three months of intense physical therapy, she took her first steps on prosthetic legs. It was at that moment Bebe set her sights on winning the Paralympic fencing gold. Some had their doubts, and with good reason: There had never been a Paralympic fencer without arms or legs. But Bebe refused to listen, saying "Let me try." She worked with her father to create a custom foil, and just three years later, she’d earn a spot on the Italian national team.
I PROMISE, ALL YOU
HAVE IS EVERYTHING
YOU NEED.
HAVE IS EVERYTHING
YOU NEED.
Don’t tell a girl with a sword what’s impossible.
Coached by gold medalist Simone Vanni, Bebe took the fencing world by storm, claiming her first World Cup victory in Montreal in 2013 and then her first European Championships in 2014. With each match, Bebe sharpened her skills, readying herself for the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games. In Rio, all of her hard work and dedication paid off. She cut through the first round of competition without a point scored against her; then in a staggering 15-to-7 victory against the defending champion, Bebe won the gold.
Alexis Hanquinquant - Para Triathlon
WORLDWIDE TOP RANKED SURFER
ALEXIS
HANQUINQUANT
HANQUINQUANT
Boldness for me is believing in yourself and not being afraid to push your limits
ALEXIS HANQUINQUANT
Passion that never fades.
Even from a young age, Alexis only had eyes for one thing: sport. A self-confessed jack of all trades, he was just as happy serving aces as he was sinking 3-pointers. Channelling this energy led him to full-contact combat sports and, at 24, he became French national champion (86 kg). Standing 1.95 m tall, you wouldn’t imagine he was any opponent’s first choice! Tragically, later that same year, an accident at work took Alexis’s life in a new direction.
Dec. 28, 1985
Born
France
Country
Triathlon
Sport
7
World & European Champion
A sport that was made for me.
August 2010 would be the start of a new challenge for Alexis. Following his accident, he would spend several months in hospital undergoing surgery. Although his right leg was saved, the resulting limp and pain were too limiting for an athlete like Alexis, so he decided to have it amputated in September 2013.
He may have lost a limb, but Alexis lost none of his drive. After trying his hand at para-triathlons in 2015, he decided to challenge himself to become a champion in the three disciplines. Today, as a para-triathlete multiple European and World Champion, Alexis’s sights are set on a new goal: Tokyo.
He may have lost a limb, but Alexis lost none of his drive. After trying his hand at para-triathlons in 2015, he decided to challenge himself to become a champion in the three disciplines. Today, as a para-triathlete multiple European and World Champion, Alexis’s sights are set on a new goal: Tokyo.
I DON’T HAVE
A DISABILITY,
I HAVE A
DIFFERENCE.
A DISABILITY,
I HAVE A
DIFFERENCE.
A childhood dream realised.
After bursting onto the scene with coach Nicolas Pouleau in 2016, Alexis just missed out on qualification for the sport’s Paralympic debut in Rio de Janeiro. After a lot of hard work and determination, scooping multiple national, European and world championships, Alexis is ready to take on the ultimate challenge of his life. Securing gold at the Paralympic Games in Tokyo.
Toyota's Commitment
Toyota is the Worldwide Mobility Partner of the Olympic and Paralympic Games because we seek to push people farther—past their finish line, past their impossible.
Working with the International Olympic and Paralympic Committees to help athletes reach their dreams is just one part of our wholehearted commitment to unleashing human potential through the power of movement.
Under this Olympic and Paralympic flag, let us reaffirm the power of sport to bring people together.
AKIO TOYODA
President, Toyota Motor Corporation
Global Team Toyota
Explore all Global Team Toyota Athletes
We are proud to be the first Worldwide Official Mobility Partner of the International Olympic Committee and the International Paralympic Committee, and a founding member of the Olympic Channel. Check out our Is It Possible? series to see just what's possible in your favorite sports.
View Now
Shopping tools