Meet Tiziana Billy Prem, a 30 years old Guatemalan horse rider, surfer and psychologist!
@tizi_bp on Instagram
“I am half French and half Guatemalan, and I am a psychologist, equestrian and surfer. My typical day is doing sports during the mornings and work during the afternoons. I try to go to the beach at least 3 to 4 times a week and go horse riding 5 days a week minimum. If I have a competition during the weekend, sometimes this changes, but usually this is what a typical day looks like for me.
Now that I live in Antigua, the beach is 1.45 hrs away from me, so I wake up at 4 AM so I can be there a little bit before 7 AM. Normally I surf 2.5 hours in the morning then I continue the day studying or horseback riding. When an important competition is coming up, whether for horse riding or surf, I tend to go to the location of the event and stay for 3 months if necessary. I do my psychology work online, which gives me the flexibility to do this.
The competitions I am most proud of are the Central American/Caribbean Championships of 2010 in Puerto Rico, where I won the gold medal and was the first female horse rider to achieve that position in my country. I’m also proud of the Pan American Games of 2011 in Guadalajara and of 2015 in Toronto, where I rode against riders from all over the American continent, from Canada to Chile.”
How did it feel to win a gold medal?
“After winning the gold medal in Puerto Rico, I had a boom of attention from the Guatemalan sport associations, where I gained many sponsors and a scholarship from the olympic committee of my country. All of this support was amazing, but sometimes recognition can turn into pressure.
I felt a lot of pressure in classifying for the Pan American Championships because I knew my horse and I weren’t fully prepared yet. I got to a point where I stopped eating and thought I’d be able to perform better if I ate less. I didn’t know how to handle that pressure and it was at that moment that my horse started having problems.
I started doubting myself and my horse’s capabilities. After a year Chandon managed to get back in shape but I was still afraid I wasn’t going to be able to classify for the Pan American Games, so I started training my second horse, Lucio. There were many obstacles, but I managed to classify both horses on the first day of qualifications.
Sadly, Chandon injured his shoulder in the van, as well as his hoof and tore a tendon a few days later. I started putting all my energy and hopes into Lucio, but we flew off just 3 obstacles before the end of the 3rd round and were disqualified. We weren’t injured, but I knew it was over and I couldn't compete in the Pan Americans.
As if that wasn’t enough, a couple of weeks later my couch told me he was diagnosed with cancer. I felt the world fall on top of me. He was like a father for me, and I started to wonder whether life was giving me the signals that I needed to stop doing what I was doing. But I didn’t finish there, I continued training. I knew Chandon wouldn’t give up on me, so after getting picked to make the national team, I went to Guadalajara.”
How do you keep stress down and keep balance in this crazy life?
“What helps me maintain my inner balance as an athlete is to stick to a routine. Running, swimming and cycling are the main things that I do when I am not training in my sports.
I also do things like the Iron Man (triathlon), because for me it's a contrast of the sports that I usually practice. It helps me maintain my balance. Fun fact, I started training for the triathlon with no expectation and no goals and when I got into the Iron Man competition, I won! Happiness is when you love and respect yourself.
My advice to someone aspiring to practice sports is to be intelligent. More than focusing on the discipline, be smart and look for the best; the best trainers, competitions and the best team. If you want to be the best in what you do, you have to surround yourself with the best athletes and environment. Look for your best support system.
My plans for the future are to train for the World Championships of surfing in Tokyo 2021. It will be the first time that surfing is recognized as an Olympic sport so I am very much looking forward to doing well in the qualifications, which will be held in El Salvador. Apart from that, a dream goal of mine is to win a medal in the Central American Championships and be part of the national surfing team of Guatemala.”
On Instagram: @tizi_bp