Index – Yuri Maier

An Argentinian Olympic wrestler and 13-time Pan American medallist, I have always believed that putting passion and devotion into what we do has a positive impact not only on the results we achieve but also on the way we approach the process and enjoy every moment of it. However, life does not always go as planned, which has taught me the true value of effort and commitment. Today, I apply this same philosophy to my professional life, and I can confidently say that working with discipline and dedication confirms the words of legendary American wrestler Dan Gable: «Once you’ve wrestled, everything else in life is easy».

BEGINNINGS

I was born on April 5th, 1989, in Corrientes, Argentina, and when I was six years old, I moved to Buenos Aires with my family.

Since I was very young, I had a keen interest in sports. I engaged in various activities, such as gymnastics and swimming, among others. However, when I was just seven years old, I discovered Olympic Wrestling, and it has since become my greatest passion.

SPORTS CAREER

As an athlete, I have had a career spanning over 20 years. My notable results at a national level motivated me and made me more committed to this sport with each passing day. This led me to represent Argentina in multiple international events.

Among my best results, the bronze medal I won at the XVI Pan American Games Guadalajara 2011 stands out, as it was the first medal for Argentina, after 20 years without any athlete reaching the podium in this important event.

In addition, I have won a total of 13 medals in the Pan-American Championships across different categories. This made me, to date, the most renowned Argentine medallist in the history of my sport.

Driven by my desire to excel and represent my country with honour, I embarked on a global journey. I have trained in Cuba, the United States, Germany, and even India. I also lived in Vladikavkaz, Russia, for four years to prepare for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. In all of these places, I embraced every opportunity to grow and learn.

INICIOS

Nací el 5 de abril de 1989 en Corrientes, Argentina, a los seis años me mudé a Buenos Aires junto con mi familia.

Desde muy pequeño me interesó el deporte, practiqué gimnasia artística y natación entre otros, hasta que un día cuando tenía siete años conocí el que hasta ahora es mi gran pasión, la Lucha Olímpica.

TRAYECTORIA EN EL DEPORTE

Como atleta fueron más de 20 años de carrera, mis destacados resultados a nivel nacional me motivaron e hicieron que mi compromiso con este deporte aumentara día a día, por lo que, llegué a representar a Argentina en múltiples eventos internacionales.

Entre mis mejores resultados se destaca la medalla de bronce que obtuve en los XVI Juegos Panamericanos Guadalajara 2011, ya que fue la primera medalla para Argentina, luego de 20 años sin que ningún atleta subiera al podio en este importante evento.

A esto, se le suman un total de 13 medallas en Campeonatos Panamericanos de diversas categorías, por lo que, hasta la fecha, soy el mayor medallista argentino en la historia de mi deporte.

Mis ganas de superarme y representar dignamente a mi país me llevaron a muchos lugares en todo el mundo, desde temporadas en Cuba, Estados Unidos, Alemania e incluso la India, hasta mi residencia de casi cuatro años en Vladikavkaz, Rusia, con la finalidad de prepararme para los Juegos Olímpicos de Río 2016.

TRANSITION TO SPORTS MANAGEMENT

Unfortunately, injuries and other factors made it impossible for me to continue as an athlete, so I decided to pursue a career in sports management. I began my career at United World Wrestling (UWW) as a Regional Development Officer for America, and over time, my responsibilities expanded. Eventually, I joined both the Sport and Development departments of UWW, working not only at a continental level but also globally. Despite the end of my athletic career, I could transition into a successful career as a manager.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Thanks to the experience I gained from engaging in the aforementioned activities, along with my commitment to excellence in performing my responsibilities, in 2019, the newly elected Executive Committee of the Association of Pan-American Sports Confederations (ACODEPA) appointed me as the organization’s Sports Manager.

As a result, I was invited to join the Panam Sport Technical Commission in March 2021, where I now represent all Pan-American Confederations in decision-making.

With a focus on the Olympic movement and aims of helping active athletes prepare for their retirement, I became an Educator Leader for the International Olympic Committee’s Athlete365 Career+ program. My goal was to help athletes enter the job market successfully.

In today’s fast-paced world, I realized that finishing my Bachelor’s Degree in High-Performance Sport was not enough. Therefore, I decided to continue with my academic training and pursued several careers simultaneously. These include a Postgraduate in International Sport Management from the University of London, an Executive Master in Management of Sport Organizations (MEMOS) coordinated by the International Olympic Committee through Olympic Solidarity with the University of Ottawa, Canada, and a PhD in Sport Sciences from the University of Science and Physical Culture «Manuel Fajardo» of Havana, Cuba.

I am also a lecturer at various educational institutions, specializing in strategic planning, project management, and event organization.

BUSINESS INITIATIVE

During my travels around the world, I have explored various cultures and stumbled upon some amazing things. One of the things that caught my attention was the water buffalo, which I encountered in India. These docile creatures were incredibly friendly and I was impressed by their attributes.

After some thought, I decided to start breeding water buffalos in Argentina, particularly in the marshes and wetlands region. I created a farm and a genetic development laboratory where I breed the two predominant breeds in Argentina, the Murrah and the Mediterranean.

Although working on the field is demanding, the hard work has started to pay off as the specimens have won numerous awards and prizes at the prestigious “Exposición Rural Argentina” for the last four years.

I have always believed that the key to success in any activity or organization is working in an orderly manner, guided by clear objectives and goals. This led me to found Sport Solutions Group (SSG) in 2020, a company that aims to provide fast and reliable management of resources in the sports industry.

At SSG, we pride ourselves on our professionalism and dedication. Our diverse portfolio includes collaborations with numerous clients in the sports industry, spanning a wide range of activities such as event management, training, consulting, and more.

Finally, to diversify my assets further, I have recently started working on a series of real estate projects in the city of Buenos Aires, Argentina.