When it comes to the Olympics, some athletes are groomed from an early age with the goal of qualifying for the Games. Others find their niche later. For Tiana Echegaray, a burning desire to escape the monotonous grind of working in an office at age 25 led her to the pinnacle of sport.
Echegaray, disillusioned with her office job at APRA, a music rights company in Ultimo, decided in 2019 to put on a pair of boxing gloves, hoping it would give her an outlet. This decision, by her own admission, was “pretty left field.” Yet here the 30-year-old stands, just months away from representing Australia at the Paris Olympics, having fought for the first time in 2021.
Born in Australia to an Argentinian father, Silvio Rodriguez, and a Cook Islander mother, Tongia Baker-Mato, Echegaray has a multicultural background. She endured an “extremely scary time” growing up, constantly moving with her father and thrust into different school environments. Despite these challenges, Echegaray has a strong connection to her heritage, crediting her “fiery energy” to her Argentinian side and her athletic prowess to her Cook Islander roots. Her mother and aunt represented the Cook Islands in netball, and her grandfather was a boxer.
Initially, Echegaray wanted to represent the Cook Islands, but without the necessary citizenship, she turned her focus to Australia. Her passion for the Cook Islands remains evident, and she will carry the weight of the 15 islands with her in Paris. Echegaray isn’t the only Cook Islander on the Australian boxing team; super heavyweight Teremoana Teremoana Junior will also represent both Australia and the Cook Islands.
Echegaray’s journey in boxing began when she joined No Quarter Boxing Gym in Alexandria, run by coach Anton Shalom. Despite initial nervousness, Echegaray quickly excelled, winning her first eight bouts before losing to future Olympic teammate Monique Suraci. Her impressive performance against Suraci convinced Shalom of her potential.
In 2022, Echegaray won the Australian Championships at 54kg, changing her life forever. This victory earned her a spot on the Australian team, where she traveled internationally, facing top-tier opponents. Although she felt lonely and experienced impostor syndrome during her first international trip, she persevered, winning other international tournaments and forming close bonds with her teammates.
In December 2023, Echegaray faced a critical moment at the Pacific Games. Winning gold was her ticket to Paris, and she succeeded despite the intense pressure and sweltering conditions. Her victory dance after securing her place in the Olympics was a moment of sheer joy and relief.
Shalom, who has worked tirelessly alongside Echegaray, is proud of her achievements and looks forward to seeing her compete in Paris. Despite wishing she had found boxing earlier, Echegaray believes her journey happened at the right time. Her advice to her younger self: “Just keep chugging along… have a little bit of faith that the path will present itself eventually.”
Echegaray’s path has indeed presented itself, leading straight to Paris.
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