Andalusian pioneers at the Winter Olympics

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Ernestina Maenza, Chio, Victoria Padial, Regino Hernández and Pepe Rojas. SUR Winter sports Andalusian pioneers at the Winter Olympics

The southernmost mainland region of Spain made history at the Winter Olympics 90 years ago by sending the first female alpine skier

Alekk M. Saanders

Monday, 9 February 2026, 15:36

The history of Andalusian participation in the Winter Olympics began with Ernestina Maenza. Together with a Catalan Margot Moles, she managed to bring women's sport to the forefront at a time when sexism was undeniable.

Later, some athletes from Andalucía had prominent roles as pioneers of winter sports at the Winter Olympic Games.

Ernestina Maenza

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Ernestina Maenza.

Ernestina Maenza Fernández-Calvo was born in Lucena, Córdoba, on 22 December 1908. Ernestina soon moved to Madrid, where she took up alpine skiing.

She became the Spanish champion in 1935. At the 1936 Olympic Games in the German town of Garmisch-Partenkirchen Ernestina and Margot competed in the alpine skiing (combined) event.

The skier from Cordoba fell several times during the descent, which slowed her down considerably and led to a dislocated shoulder. This made her unable to take part in the second part of the combined competition.

Margot Moles also fell several times in both runs. The women were far from the top ten, but their pioneering participation was an important milestone for Spanish winter sports.

Pepe Rojas

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Pepe Rojas in 1998. SUR

José Javier Rojas Martínez del Marmol, better known simply as Pepe Rojas from Granada, is also considered a pioneer of Spanish freestyle.

Pepe Rojas was born on 23 June 1970. From an early age, he enjoyed the lush nature of the Sierra Nevada, which turned into a favourite place for games and fun in the snow during winter.

At the age of eight, he began learning alpine skiing, but then switched to artistic skiing, specifically mogul. This acrobatic discipline was beginning to gain popularity and advance in Sierra Nevada.

His love of freestyle helped him realise his dream of competing in the Winter Olympics. In 1992, he travelled to Albertville, where he competed in the mogul skiing event, becoming one of the main protagonists of this discipline's debut in the official Olympic programme. The Norwegian town of Lillehammer became his second Olympic appearance.

Victoria Padial

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Victorial Padial in 2014. AFP

If there is one title that Victoria Padial Hernández deserves for her extensive sporting career, it is that of pioneer of women's biathlon in Spain. Spain and biathlon seem to be two concepts that are difficult to reconcile.

However, this did not bother the Andalusian Victoria Padial Hernández. The first medallist for the national team at the World and European Championships, the first participant in the World Cup and... the first and only Spanish biathlete at the Olympic Games.

Victoria was born in Granada on 10 August 1988 and soon became interested in biathlon. In winter, she trained in the snowy Sierra Nevada, and most of the time she was cross-country running or roller skiing.

Unsurprisingly, she won a bronze medal at the 2013 Summer Biathlon World Championships and two silver medals at the 2014 European Biathlon Championships.

Victoria thus became the first Spanish athlete to win a medal at an international biathlon competition.

In 2010, Victoria Padial Hernández had the honour of participating in the Winter Olympics in Vancouver, and four years later in Sochi, where she achieved her best result, finishing 46th in the 10 km pursuit race.

Rocío Delgado (Chio)

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Chio Delgado in 2017. SUR

Rocío Delgado, also known as Chio, has been a pioneer from the very beginning. She became the first Spanish woman to join the Spanish national team that competed in the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver in the ski cross discipline.

Born on 21 July 1977 in Huesca, she moved to Granada with her parents at the age of two.

Sierra Nevada became her source of inspiration for building a successful sporting career. At first, Chio trained in alpine skiing, although her preferences and heart always leaned towards freestyle in which tracks and jumps gave her the pleasure and excitement she had always sought in skiing.

When the discipline began to develop nationally at the beginning of the century, Rocío Delgado was one of the pioneers who contributed to its development, standing out from the outset in the few competitions that existed at the time.

Rocío won the European Cup in 2007, took bronze in 2008 and remained among the world's best skiers between 1999 and 2010.

Regino Hernandez

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Regino Hernández with his bronze medal in Pyeongchang in 2018. EFE

The only representative of Malaga in winter sports, Regino Hernández Martín is considered a pioneer of Spanish snowboarding.

Living in Mijas, Regino started snowboarding at the age of four, training in Sierra Nevada. He stood out at a very young age.

In 2011, at the age of 14, Regino became the Spanish junior champion. Since then, he has been the benchmark in Andalucía in the cross-country discipline. His success at the Winter Olympics was highly praised in Spain.

With his bronze medal in Pyeongchang in 2018, Regino Hernández ended Spain's 26-year medal drought at the Winter Olympics.