• Nabila mastered Yogasana during her five years stay in India where she also worked as a dancer in Bollywood and got hooked to cricket
• The only Argentinian to participate in the competition won an impressive five medals, including two gold and two silver
Ahmedabad, June 7: Even as the Indian yoga athletes and many of their Indian-origin counterparts take centrestage at the inaugural World Yogasana Championships here, a lithe South American is a cynosure of the spectators and fellow competitors as she performed the asanas with precision and elegance.
After all, Argentinian Nabila Sol Barraza has been one of the most successful overseas athletes in the championships, winning a total of five including two gold and two silver medals, and insists that yoga has transformed her life in more ways than she could ever imagine.
Born about 40 kilometres from Rosario — the Argentine city that gave the global football icon Lionel Messi — Nabila’s first brush with Yogasana happened through a college friend back home. What began as curiosity gradually transformed into a passion, eventually bringing her to Mumbai, a city she would call home for nearly five years.
During that period, she learnt Hindi phrases, discovered Indian traditions, appeared as a background dancer in Bollywood productions, worked alongside actor Tiger Shroff, and even developed an unexpected appreciation for cricket.
“I knew how passionate people in Argentina are about football, so I could understand the emotions Indians have for cricket,” said Nabila as she speaks about how she is a great fan of former India skipper Virat Kohli.
While cricket introduced her to one side of India, yoga revealed something deeper. Drawn by its philosophy and transformative potential, Nabila travelled to Rishikesh, widely regarded as the yoga capital of the world, before furthering her studies in Nashik. The enriching experience has since shaped the journey of the
30-year-old trainer of contemporary dance, who was raised by a single mother alongside her two siblings.
“It has been an amazing journey in India. I loved everything about the country — the culture, the people and the diversity.
“I travelled to Rajasthan, Agra, Goa, Chennai and Kolkata. What amazed me most was how different the languages, cuisines and customs can be within one country,” said Nabila.
The lessons she learnt on those journeys would eventually travel with her across continents. Earlier this year, Nabila moved to Colombia, where she now conducts both online and offline yoga classes.
“Yoga heals the body, mind and soul,” she said. “For me, it is still a learning experience. What makes it special is that it is not restricted by age. Anyone can practice it.”
Nabila’s commitment was evident long before she stepped onto the championship stage in Ahmedabad. To compete at the World Yogasana Championships, Nabila endured a gruelling 48-hour journey that took her from Bogota to Toronto, then London, Mumbai and finally Ahmedabad.
The effort paid off.
Competing as Argentina’s lone representative, Nabila captured gold medals in Twisting Body individual and Back Bend individual categories. More importantly, she hopes her success will inspire others back home.
“I am the only Argentine here this year, but I don’t think it will be the same next time,” she said. “These championships are a wonderful platform to share yoga with the world. I am sure more people from Argentina and Colombia will want to participate in the future.”
