Ibone Belausteguigoitia

Country: MEX
Honoree Type: Masters Diver

INTERNATIONAL HIGHLIGHTS: 1988, 1990, 1992, 1994, 1996, 1998, 2002, 2006 FINA Masters World Championships: 1 meter springboard (7 gold, 1 silver, 1 bronze), 3 meter springboard (7 gold, 1 silver, 1 6th place), 10 meter platform (7 gold, 2 bronze); 1985, 1989, 1998, 2005 Masters World Games: 1 meter springboard (3 gold, 1 silver), 3 meter springboard (4 gold), 10 meter platform (2 gold, 2 bronze); Since 1984, she has competed in 6 age groups (50-54 thru 75- 79); Competed in 37 U.S. Masters Diving National Championships: 125 gold, 7 silver medals on both springboards and platform.

Ibone Belausteguigoitia was born in Bilbao, Spain to a family of athletes who excelled in sports such as horseback riding, sailing, golf, tennis, gymnastics and swimming. For Ibone, the sport was diving.

After moving with her family to Mexico at the age of three, Ibone loved to watch diving in the movies. She practiced by herself until she found Coach Mario Tovar and after only one year, was named to the Mexican National Team. In 1948 she traveled to London as one of the first six women from Mexico to compete in the Olympic Games. On her very first dive into the 2M deep practice pool, she broke her wrist but went on to compete and finished 17th. Ibone continued her dominance inMexico for several years, winning numerous National Championships, as well as gold medals at the Central American and Caribbean Championships.

Ibone was introduced to Masters Diving in 1984 by ISHOF Honor Coach, Dick Smith. Since then she has participated in 37 U.S. Masters National Diving Championships, winning 125 gold and 7 silver, on both springboards and platform. She has competed in six age groups (50-54 through 75-79) and has traveled and competed all over the world. Ibone has attended eight FINA Masters World Championships, winning a total of 28 gold medals on the 1 and 3 meter springboards, and the 5 meter tower. She has won 13 medals in four Masters World Games, nine of them gold.

Ibone follows the motto “Sports for Life”. Monday through Friday, she does a gymnastic routine before her diving workout. On weekends, she plays tennis with her beloved husband of 25 years, Hermann von Bertrab. Hermann travels the world with Ibone as her biggest supporter, cameraman and spokesman.

The information on this page was written the year of their induction