Leilani. Kenneth. Shirley. Sherman. They’re names that many Costa Ricans have spoken—or shouted—this year in front of the TV screen, with astonishment or glee. We’ve all seen and experienced the emotion that arises when athletes who have trained for years without much fame go on to capture medals, titles, and our hearts.
But what is the work behind the scenes that goes into allowing a new athlete or a new sport to emerge from the shadows? What can we learn from this process? What are the myths surrounding non-traditional sports and sectors in Costa Rica, that these athletes are helping to defeat? And whose lives are affected when this is achieved, beyond the lives of the people who are now so well known for their mastery of their fields, arenas and waves?
Join us for a dive into Costa Rican sports in our November issue. To honor these women and men who’ve inspired so many, we’ve named the edition using a word that describes them all: “Tenacious.”
