"We thought that this role could perfectly fit both Andrea and Andrés: two great champions with an impressive, long-lasting and fair international skating career" said World Skate President Sabatino Aracu.

Following the IOC guidelines, the Athlete Role Models will play a significant role not only for those athletes participating in the Games, but also for the local youth that will have the opportunity to interact with the ARMs in the different park activities, and more specifically “Try the Sport”. The ARMs will support and mentor young athletes attending the YOG that will have the opportunity to learn from their idols getting advice and sharing experiences. But the ARMs will also attend the sport initiation activities leading and inspiring the boys and girls that will come to try and enjoy Inline Speed Skating.

Andrea Gonzalez wore a pair of skates for the very first time when she was 7 years old and started competing at the age of 10: she has been 11 times World Champion in the period between 1998 and 2006, year in which she retired, and is still one of the most popular Argentinian skating stars.

"The ARM appointment was so touching to me: it's so important for an athlete being recognized as a sport model even so many years after the last competition. I will share with the athletes in the YOG my know-how as a World Champion and as a coach: The sport requires perseverance, fortitude and fair-play and those qualities will make them great women and men as they grow up."

Andrés Muñoz is part of the Colombian "Golden" National team and he won his first World title when he was 15: so who better than him could support the young athletes that will be competing for the Olympic medals for the first time ever in skate history? He perfectly knows feelings, anxieties and dreams of those skaters.

"I will motivate the young athletes by setting my entire career as an example of hard training, team work, fair play inside and outside the track. They are the future of sport and they have to believe in themselves and feel that they are on the right path. The Youth Olympic Games are the truly expression of Olympic action, giving everybody the opportunity to achieve a peaceful world”.

We are sure that they will do a great and inspiring job in Buenos Aires.