"I opened the drawer to see if the medal was still there": Paula Pareto's most intimate memory, ten years after her Olympic gold
On Saturday, August 6, 2016, the judoka became the first Argentine Olympic champion. "It surpassed all my dreams," recalls the doctor, vice president of the COA and member of the International Olympic Committee. Unforgettable anecdotes from the protagonist and the journalist who witnessed her triumph.
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"I opened the drawer to see if the medal was still there": Paula Pareto's most intimate memory, ten years after her Olympic gold
- The judoka became the first Argentine Olympic champion on Saturday, August 6, 2016. - "It surpassed all my dreams," recalls the doctor, COA vice-president, and International Olympic Committee member. - Unforgettable anecdotes from the protagonist and the journalist who witnessed her triumph.
Paula Pareto bites her gold medal at the Rio de Janeiro 2016 Olympic Games.
Photo Lorena Lucca
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06/08/2026 05:00
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Artificial Intelligence
Experimental: Automatic summary and analysis performed with Artificial Intelligence
August 5, 2026
"I opened the drawer to see if the medal was still there": Paula Pareto's most intimate memory, ten years after her Olympic gold
SUMMARY 16s (Full read 375s)
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Paula Pareto bites her gold medal at the Rio de Janeiro 2016 Olympic Games.
Photo Lorena Lucca -
Paula Pareto, with mate in hand, before winning the gold medal at the Rio de Janeiro 2016 Olympic Games.
Photo Lorena Lucca -
The Rio 2016 semifinal between Paula Pareto and Ami Kondo.
Photo Lorena Lucca -
Paula Pareto has just become Olympic champion in Rio 2016.
Photo Lorena Lucca -
Paula Pareto and her coach Laura Martinel, the day after winning the gold medal in Rio 2016.
Photo Lorena Lucca
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Other analyses (Experimental)
BULLET POINTS Chronologically or logically ordered information
1. Paula Pareto arrives at the Olympic Village in Rio de Janeiro on Tuesday, August 2, 2016.
Original Text: "Paula had arrived in the Cidade Maravilhosa on Monday, July 25, with Laura Martinel, her coach, and Oritia González, her sparring partner. They stayed in a hotel near the tatami where she would train in the days leading up to the competition."
2. Paula Pareto competes in the under 48 kg category at Carioca Arena 2 on Saturday, August 6, 2016.
Original Text: "Saturday, August 6. Carioca Arena 2. Judokas in the under 48 kg category arrived very early."
3. Paula Pareto wins the Olympic gold medal in Rio de Janeiro on Saturday, August 6, 2016.
Original Text: "She was the first Argentine to win two Olympic medals in an individual discipline."
4. Paula Pareto is received with euphoria in the Olympic Village after winning the gold medal on Saturday, August 6, 2016.
Original Text: "She was received enthusiastically in the Argentine delegation's building: Las Panteras volleyball team tossed her in the air as if it were her quinceañera party, and the members of La Garra handball team left her a note under the door of her apartment."
5. Paula Pareto reflects on her victory and her future on Sunday, August 7, 2016.
Original Text: "Sunday, August 7, 2016. It's mid-morning in the international zone of the Olympic Village. Sports activity is in full swing on the second day of the Games."
6. Paula Pareto stops competing after Tokyo 2020.
Original Text: "The number one Argentine athlete of this century stopped competing after Tokyo 2020."
7. Paula Pareto is one of the six Olympic flag bearers at the opening ceremony of Paris 2024.
Original Text: "She had the honor of being one of the six Olympic flag bearers at the opening ceremony of Paris 2024."
8. Paula Pareto becomes vice president of the Argentine Olympic Committee in 2025.
Original Text: "She is an active part of the Argentine Olympic Committee: a doctor in delegations, a member of the Athletes' Commission and, since 2025, vice president."
9. Paula Pareto becomes a member of the International Olympic Committee in July 2024.
Original Text: "She has been one of the 104 members of the International Olympic Committee since July 2024. Obviously, the first Argentine."
10. Paula Pareto opens the nightstand drawer to see if the medal was still there after waking up.
Original Text: "Do you remember I told you I didn't sleep much after the gold? Well, the first thing I did when I woke up was open the nightstand drawer and see if the medal was there. And it was."
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HIGHLIGHTS Quotes, testimonies, and statements
Journalist: What do you fight for, Paula?
Crowd: Paula, Paula!
Laura Martinel: You are a legend
Paula Pareto: Every time I think I'm an Olympic champion, I get emotional
Paula Pareto: Do you remember I told you I didn't sleep much after the gold? Well, the first thing I did when I woke up was open the nightstand drawer and see if the medal was there. And it was
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DATA Table with figures extracted from the original
Important Dates
| Description | Value |
| Date Paula Pareto was in Leblon, Rio de Janeiro, before the Olympic Games | July 30, 2016 |
| Date Paula Pareto won the gold medal at the Rio Olympics | August 6, 2016 |
| Date Paula Pareto had an interview with the journalist after winning the gold medal | August 7, 2016 |
| Date Paula Pareto was one of the Olympic flag bearers at the Paris opening ceremony | 2024 |
| Date Paula Pareto became vice president of the Argentine Olympic Committee | 2025 |
Sports Results
| Description | Value |
| Year Paula Pareto won the bronze medal at the Beijing Olympics | 2008 |
| Year Paula Pareto placed fifth at the London Olympics | 2012 |
| Number of Olympic medals Paula Pareto has won in an individual discipline | 2 |
Other Numerical Data
| Description | Value |
| Number of members of the International Olympic Committee, Paula Pareto has been one of them since July 2024 | 104 |
| Number of Olympic flag bearers at the Paris 2024 opening ceremony, Paula Pareto was one of them | 6 |
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FAQ Information as frequently asked questions
1. When did Paula Pareto win the Olympic gold medal?
On Saturday, August 6, 2016.
2. In what sport did Paula Pareto win the gold medal?
In judo.
3. In what weight category did Paula Pareto compete?
In the under 48 kg category.
4. What was Paula Pareto's reaction upon waking up after winning the gold medal?
The first thing she did upon waking up was open the nightstand drawer to see if the medal was there.
5. What did Paula Pareto do upon waking up after winning the gold medal?
She opened the nightstand drawer to see if the medal was still there.
6. What activities does Paula Pareto currently engage in?
She is a specialist in Orthopedics and Traumatology, gives talks at events and companies, is an entrepreneur with her store 'Pareto Gluten Free', works on solidarity projects, is vice president of the Argentine Olympic Committee, and a member of the International Olympic Committee.
7. What did Paula Pareto do after winning the gold medal in Rio de Janeiro?
She spoke with God and Mary Most Holy, received congratulations and hugs, and returned to the Olympic Village to celebrate with her team.
8. What was Paula Pareto's first thought upon waking up after winning the gold medal?
She thought about opening the nightstand drawer to see if the medal was still there.
9. How did Paula Pareto feel upon waking up after winning the gold medal?
She felt emotional remembering that she was an Olympic champion.
10. What did Paula Pareto do before competing in the Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games?
She practiced exercises with her psychologist to train her mind, read or drew to disconnect, and focused on doing things well.
11. What did Paula Pareto think before competing in the Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games?
She didn't feel pressure and focused on doing things well.
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GLOSSARY List of terms
Keywords
| Word | Meaning |
| Carioca Arena 2 | Venue where the judo competition was held at the Rio de Janeiro 2016 Olympic Games. |
| Argentine Olympic Committee | Organization responsible for the promotion and development of Olympism in Argentina. |
| Argentine delegation | Group of athletes and staff representing Argentina in international competitions. |
| Ippon | Judo technique consisting of immobilizing the opponent for a determined time. |
| Judo | Combat sport of Japanese origin. |
| Podium | Elevated platform where the top three finishers in a sports competition stand to receive their medals. |
| Olympic Village | Accommodation complex for athletes and staff during the Olympic Games. |
| Waza-ari | Score in judo indicating a nearly perfect technique. |
Specific terms
| Word | Meaning |
| Cidade Maravilhosa | Nickname for Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. |
| La Garra | Nickname for the Argentine women's handball team. |
| Las Panteras | Nickname for the Argentine women's volleyball team. |
| United Nations of sport | Metaphorical term referring to the diversity of nationalities present at the Olympic Games. |
| Paris 2024 | Olympic Games to be held in Paris in 2024. |
| Penhasco Dois Irmãos | Rock formation on Leblon beach in Rio de Janeiro. |
| Tokyo 2020 | Olympic Games held in Tokyo in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. |
Technical terms
| Word | Meaning |
| Olympic flag | Flag with the five Olympic rings representing the Olympic movement. |
| Athletes' Commission | Group of athletes representing the interests of athletes in the Argentine Olympic Committee. |
| Anthem | Musical composition representing a country and played at international sporting events. |
| Judogi | Uniform used in judo. |
| Tatami | Training surface used in judo and other martial arts. |
Region-specific terms
| Word | Meaning |
| Jacarepaguá | Neighborhood and district of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. |
| Leblon | Neighborhood located in the southern zone of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. |
| San Fernando | District located in the province of Buenos Aires, Argentina. |
Acronyms and abbreviations
| Word | Meaning |
| COA | Argentine Olympic Committee. |
| IOC | International Olympic Committee. |
Ambiguous or polysemous terms
| Word | Meaning |
| Opening ceremony | Can refer to either the opening of a sporting event or the inauguration of an establishment or infrastructure. |
| Competition | Can refer to either a sporting contest or the ability to perform a task successfully. |
| Medal | Can refer to either the award received in a sports competition or the act of meditating or reflecting. |
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It was a beautiful sunny day in Leblon on Saturday, July 30, 2016. With mate and thermos in hand, in flip-flops, wearing the Argentine delegation's t-shirt and long black pants resting on the sand, Paula Belén Pareto watched the Atlantic waves. Occasionally, her sunglasses protected her light eyes, which suffered from a slight conjunctivitis. To her right, the imposing Penhasco Dois Irmãos stood out. It was the ideal setting for "the warrior's rest," as Clarín titled that conversation with this journalist, a special correspondent at the Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games.
-What do you fight for, Paula?
-Because I like it and because I think I do it quite well to survive, heh.
That "quite well" had allowed the judoka to be an Olympic bronze medalist in Beijing 2008, fifth in London 2012, and reigning world champion. A week after those bitter moments on Carioca soil, Paula stood atop the podium at Carioca Arena 2. The first Olympic champion in the history of national sport. The first Argentine to win two Olympic medals in an individual discipline.
It happened on Saturday, August 6, 2016. Ten years have passed, and her sporting feat deserves to be remembered with constant images and flashbacks from the protagonist and the chronicler who witnessed the history.
Paula had arrived in the Cidade Maravilhosa on Monday, July 25, with Laura Martinel, her coach, and Oritia González, her sparring partner. They stayed in a hotel near the tatami where she would train in the days leading up to the competition.
To unwind and train her mind, that friend who can become an enemy for a high-performance athlete at the least expected moment, she practiced exercises with Gustavo Ruiz, her psychologist. And on Leblon beach, she shared her other resources: "On trips, I read or draw. I always choose something different to disconnect. Now I brought some mandalas and pencils my mom bought me, and that's what I'm doing."
Paula Pareto, with mate in hand, before winning the gold medal at the Rio de Janeiro 2016 Olympic Games.
Photo Lorena Lucca
On Tuesday, August 2, she entered the Olympic Village, a few kilometers from the Olympic Park built on the grounds of the mythical Jacarepaguá circuit. The buildings stood on land that was once swamps. She went in and out there in the days leading up to the event, like every member of those United Nations of sport who coexist in harmony during a Games.
She knew she wouldn't be able to march in another opening ceremony because her competition was always the day after, and she didn't want to get tired right before it. Calm, she had a clear goal.
"I don't feel any pressure because judo is not a precision sport, and anyone can win or lose. I could rely on my results, and that would be great, but I start every competition from scratch and focus on what needs to be done," she told this journalist on Leblon beach.
Ten years later, Dr. Pareto barely has time to breathe, eat, and sleep between her thousand and one activities, but she eagerly participates in the request to recall scenes, images, and anecdotes that she cannot forget on her way to the gold medal.
"Beforehand, I felt strange nerves. Anxiety. I wanted to concentrate on my own thing, on doing things well, knowing that the smallest details counted," she recalls at the request of her interlocutor. "The day before competing, I woke up with a fever, which speaks to the level of stress I was unconsciously managing. I spoke with Gus, with my dad, with my mom, and I told Lau