Olympic Swimmer Gives Back to Sport Through Mentorship

As both an athlete and business professional, Karen Milenka Torrez Gómez has experienced immense personal growth through sport and works to provide other women and girls with the same opportunities. Over the last 20 years, Karen has become one of the most decorated athletes in Bolivia’s history, swimming in three Olympic Games, five South American Games, three Panamerican Games, 15 World Cups, and five Bolivian Games. She was named Toyota Athlete of Bolivia and has accrued several other corporate partnerships which have enabled her to expand her global influence. Karen served as the president of the Bolivian Athletes Commission at the Bolivian Olympic Committee and was invited to be a part of the Athletes Forum held in Lausanne, Switzerland.

Despite her incredible trailblazing athletic career, Karen reports that the most rewarding parts of her involvement in sport are the times she is able to pour into the next generation of Bolivian athletes. As a swimming coach at Club Hípico Los Sargentos, she is committed to seeing her athletes develop not only as swimmers, but as strong leaders in the community.

Inspired by the strong network of GSMP graduates already manifesting positive change through sport in Bolivia, Karen looks forward to sharing in fellowship with like-minded individuals and taking advantage of professional growth opportunities provided by the program. She hopes to develop her managerial and leadership skills in order to become a more confident and competent coach and entrepreneur.

Karen will be mentored by Linnea King, Global Brand Marketing Manager, GTM Strategy, and her team at New Balance in Boston, Massachusetts.