Desirée Vila
At a glance
- Sport: Para-athletics – Sprint/Long Jump
- Country: Spain
- Date of Birth: June 15, 1998
About the athlete
Desirée Vila is a strong and resilient competitor. On February 26, 2015, Vila broke her right tibia and fibula while practicing Gymnastics at the European Acrobatic Gymnastics Championships, which resulted in the compression of her popliteal artery and subsequent amputation of her right leg above the knee. She was forced to quit the sport after becoming a professional Acrobatic Gymnast just three years prior.
After being encouraged by a friend, Vila took up Para-athletics at nineteen years old. Since then, she has competed for Spain at the World Para Athletics European Championships, the World Para Athletics Championships, and the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games. While Desirée started her career competing in both Sprint and Long Jump events, she has been focusing on the Long Jump T63 since 2021.
Vila has made it her mission to raise awareness about disability and the benefits of sports, which is why she created a YouTube channel where she shares her life as an athlete, a student, and a person with a disability.
Notable achievements
- Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020 - Ranked 6th in Women’s Long Jump T63 and Ranked 7th in Women’s 100 m T63
- World Para Athletics Championships Paris 2023 long jump - 5th
- World Para Athletics European Championships Poland 2021 long jump – 3rd
