Érika Olivera

She took the gold medal at the 1999 Pan American Games, setting a Pan American Games record at 2:37.41 hours. She won a bronze at the following edition in 2003. Starting in 1996, she represented her native country in three consecutive Summer Olympics, and also the 2012 Summer Olympics.

Olivera made her breakthrough at the junior level in 1994 when she won the 10,000 metres gold and 3000 metres bronze medals at the South American Junior Championships in Athletics. The following year she upgraded to a gold and a silver medal at the Pan American Junior Championships, before going on to complete a hat-trick of medals at the South American Junior Championships – she secured a 10,000 m and 3000 m double and also won the 1500 metres silver behind Bertha Sánchez.

Olivera is a two-time winner of the South American Cross Country Championships, having beaten all comers in both the long and short races in 1999. She is a five-time winner and course record holder of the Santiago Marathon. She won the 1995 edition of the Buenos Aires Marathon in Argentina and placed fourth at the 74th Saint Silvester Marathon in 1998.

She enjoyed success on the track at continental level, completing a 10,000 metres/5000 metres silver medal double at both the 1997 and 2003 South American Championships in Athletics. Further to this, she won a silver and a bronze at the 1999 edition of the competition. At the Ibero-American Championships, she has won medals in a number of events, beginning with a 5000 m gold medal and 10,000 m bronze in 1996, the 10,000 m gold at the 2000 edition, and finally a silver medal in the 3000 metres steeplechase in 2002.

Her personal best for the marathon is 2:32:23, set at the 1999 Rotterdam Marathon, which is also the Chilean record for the event. She is also the national record holder over the half marathon, 10,000 m and 5000 m.

Erika Olivera was married with Ricardo Opazo, who was also her coach. Currently her couple is Chilean marathoner Leslie Encina. She has five children.

The athlete has always been critical with regard to sports financing in Chile, indicating the lack of financial support that she has had to overcome during her athletic career.

In 2015 Olivera manifested her intention of starting a political career once she finishes her athletic profession, considering that she will attempt to become a member of the Chilean Congress Cámara de Diputados de Chile, and showing interest in the Renovación Nacional party.

In 2016 Olivera revealed that her stepfather had sexually abused her during twelve years of her childhood.

Olympic Games	Discipline	Place	Time
1996 Atlanta	Marathon	37	2:39:06
2000 Sydney	Marathon	27	2:35:07
2004 Athens	Marathon	58	2:57:14
2012 London	Marathon	64	2:36:41
2016 Rio de Janeiro	Marathon	105	2:50:29

Note: Olivera missed the 2008 Summer Olympics due to pregnancy.

• 1500 m: 4:25.61 – Talca, 11 April 1997
• 3000 m: 9:21.73 – Santiago, 1 May 1999
• 5000 m: 15:51.45 – Río de Janeiro, 20 May 2000
• 10,000 m: 33:23.12 – Concepción, 30 November 1996
• Half marathon: 1:11:54 – Santiago, 10 September 2000
• Marathon: 2:32:23 – Rotterdam, 18 April 1999
• 3000 m steeplechase: 10:48.75– Guatemala, 11 May 2002