From the track to the sand: Ana Paula Argüello moves from athletics to beach volleyball

Paraguayan athlete Ana Paula Argüello is embarking on a new sporting chapter, transitioning from heptathlon to beach volleyball. The 23-year-old announced her departure from athletics via social media, expressing gratitude for the experiences and achievements that shaped her career.

Argüello reflected on her time in heptathlon, stating, "Goals, objectives, and desires more than fulfilled, because what I am today as an athlete, athletics taught me and I will never forget it. An era is closing, and I am proud to leave through the front door with a huge smile, several medals, and records behind me. Thank you, athletics, for everything."

Her move follows the departure of Camila Pirelli, a prominent figure in Paraguayan heptathlon, leaving a void Argüello had begun to fill. Argüello had established herself as a key figure in the new generation of Paraguayan heptathletes, setting national records and earning medals in international competitions. A significant achievement was her bronze medal at the 2025 Junior Pan American Games in Asunción.

While Argüello is new to professional beach volleyball, the sport is not entirely unfamiliar. She previously played indoor volleyball for Club Deportivo San José, winning titles. Now, she joins the Paraguayan national beach volleyball team, forming a partnership with Denisse Álvarez. Their first competition will be the opening round of the South American Beach Volleyball Circuit, held in Bogotá, Colombia.

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Today my life takes a turn, today I say goodbye to what I once dreamed of achieving. Goals, objectives, and desires more than fulfilled, because what I am today as an athlete, athletics taught me and I will never forget it. An era is closing, and I am proud to leave through the front door with a huge smile, several medals, and records behind me. Thank you, athletics, for everything.