Eldric Sella Rodriguez: The Venezuelan-born boxer who continues to inspire refugees everywhere

Eldric Sella Rodriguez saw a dream come true when he boxed as part of the IOC Refugee Olympic Team at the Tokyo 2020 Games, but that was only the beginning.

Even though he lost his first-round fight, Sella became an inspiration to many and received overwhelming support from Venezuelans all over the world, despite competing under the neutral Refugee Team flag.

Fleeing an economic and humanitarian crisis in his home country in 2018, he never gave up on his dreams, and wants to inspire others to do the same.

In March 2022 Sella was back in the ring at the AMBC Elite Championships in Ecuador, one of 197 boxers from 25 countries - and one team of no nation.

The 25-year-old boxed as part of the 'Fair Chance Team' which aims to support talented boxers who have been displaced by global crises.

And this time the opening round bout belonged to Sella as he outclassed Costa Rica's Victor Gallo Alvarado in his middleweight duel to claim a convincing 4-1 victory, as scored by the judges.

Next up came the quarter-finals where the middleweight slugger faced a tough opponent in Guyana’s Amsterdam Desmon Cort and after a thriller of a contest it went Cort's way by a tight 3-2 decision.

Again, the defeat has only made Sella even more determined.

"We keep going - watch this space!" - Eldric Sella Rodriguez

After the tournament in Guayaquil he posted a message to his Instagram following of over 13 thousand people:

"It takes a lot of strength and bravery to really be able to learn ⁣from defeat, and even though I've lost this time I can honestly say...

"I HAVE LEARNED FROM MY LOSSES!

"I set a personal goal before this journey and I completed that goal. I leave here a better boxer than when I arrived and I showed the world that I can achieve great things in this sport - even though my greatest battle will always be against myself!"

Sella signed off by thanking the international boxing federation IBA for his chance to fight as part of the 'Fair Chance Team' and the IOC Refugee Olympic Team without which he says "none of this would be possible."

Now even bigger objectives await, and his opening-round victory at a big international boxing competition is more fuel for the fire.

Eldric Sella Rodriguez: Fleeing Venezuela to fight for his dreams

Sella's story is one that millions of people around the world can identify with.

After a crisis in 2014 in Venezuela saw a sharp rise in poverty and violence, this boxer fled to Trinidad and Tobago in search of a better life, one of six million people who have left the South American country since then, according to World Vision.

Boxing was Sella's life growing up and he worked hard enough to make the national team at 18, but his dream of fighting at the Olympics was cut short when he and a number of other young hopefuls were let go due to a lack of resources.

“I started boxing at nine years old, there was a boxing gym near my house in Caracas I used to go to with my father," he told the IBA in an interview in Ecuador.

"Things started to get rough in Venezuela, so we decided to leave to look for better opportunities for our family.

“I went to Trinidad & Tobago with my girlfriend and took a few labour jobs, but I never stopped training, never stopped dreaming of competing at the PanAm Championships, World Championships and Olympic Games."

"After a long process, I got the chance to be on the programme for refugee athletes," he continued.

That programme gave him an IOC Refugee Athlete Scholarship which allowed him to dedicate himself full-time to training and gave him a chance to be selected on the IOC Refugee Olympic Team and compete at Tokyo 2020.

“When I got the approval to be in the programme, I felt I was back on my path,” he told the UNHCR, “I felt alive again."

"Next thing I know, I am competing at the Olympic Games!”

But his story doesn't end there.

Inspiring refugees everywhere to "pursue their dreams"

After the Tokyo 2020 Olympics in the summer of 2021, the UNHCR programme helped him find a new home in Uruguay where he now lives with his father, who's also his coach, and his girlfriend Luz - his manager and nutritionist.

That he wants to fight at the Olympic Games Paris 2024 is a given, but after the messages he received from all over the world after Tokyo, he's realised he's fighting for something much bigger too:

Inspiring refugees everywhere.

As he told the IBA recently; “life will always find a way to put you in the position to pursue your dreams.”