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Daniella Ramirez was recently at the Paris Olympics, where she made a name for herself in artistic swimming. While a large percentage of the audience is only learning about Ramirez due to the events of the past month, the American swimmer with Venezuelan roots is the third generation of a family of swimmers. It's a passion that she inherited from her grandmother.
© Al BelloThe 22-year-old swimmer was raised in Miramar, Florida, with a passion that goes back to her youth. "My grandmother practiced artistic swimming when it was called Water Ballet and then my mom did artistic swimming as a member of the Venezuelan national team. That's how she met my dad, who was a diver in Venezuela," explained Ramirez, revealing that swimming has been embedded into her DNA.
Thanks to her grit and determination, Daniella made it to the world's biggest stage, the Olympic Games. When she was 15 years old she moved to the San Francisco Bay to train with the US national team. This year, she became one of eight swimmers in the Paris Olympics artistic swimming competition, representing the US.
© Adam PrettyParticipating in Paris 2024 was a victory for herself and her family, with Daniella playing a pivotal part in helping her team win silver.
"I'm very happy that we made it here. And I'm very grateful for this team. There's nothing more magical than this team."
Her performance in the Olympics was memorable, not only because the team performed amazingly, but because it marked the first medal for the US in artistic swimming since the Athens games in 2004.
Beyond triumph and medals, the Ramirez family was happy to see their daughter achieve the dreams she set out to pursue when she was a little girl. "She represents everything that we've worked for during our entire lives," said her mother after seeing her win.
© Kristy Sparow"I wanted to go to the Olympics and in my mind, there was a voice that said I could win."
Daniella has used her skills to branch out of competitions and appear in various films. She was a part of the cast of "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever," where she performed various complex diving stunts. She's also made various TV commercials and is studying art at the University of California, in Los Angeles.
