In recognition of her sporting career

22 MAY 2023

Ona Carbonell receives the "Iberdrola Golden Handprint" diploma from Mario Ruíz-Tagle, CEO of Iberdrola España

  • The best synchronised swimmer has stamped her handprints in plaster and they will be exhibited in the company's offices.
  • Ona, promoted by Iberdrola since 2016, bids farewell to competition, having won 36 international medals, including two Olympic medals.


Mario Ruiz-Tagle, President of Iberdrola Spain, with synchronized swimmer and 36-time medalist Ona Carbonell.

Synchronised swimmer Ona Carbonell was received today at Iberdrola's facilities by the CEO of Iberdrola Spain, Mario Ruíz-Tagle, who presented her with the Iberdrola Golden Handprint diploma in recognition of her sporting career.

After a brilliant career, including two Olympic medals, the athlete announced her retirement last Friday at an emotional gala held at the Spanish Olympic Committee. This morning she stamped her handprints on a plaster cast, a memento that will be exhibited at the company's offices in Madrid.

Iberdrola thus wished to recognise the brilliant career of the woman with the most medals in the world swimming championships (22), while at the same time thanking her for her commitment to equal opportunity as an ambassador for the company, a commitment that Mario Ruíz-Tagle highlighted for having contributed to creating female role models and serving as a model of perseverance, discipline and hard work, values that Iberdrola is also proud of.

For her part, Ona thanked the company for its support and its promotion of women's sportEnlace externo, se abre en ventana nueva. , making visible the excellence of many women who, like her, have had to overcome obstacles to achieve their dreams. In particular, she underscored the support that made it possible for her to combine motherhood with top-level competition.

Linked to Iberdrola since 2016, Ona, who has won 36 international medals, is leaving synchronised swimming to devote herself to her family life and to take on new professional challenges. 

She has won more than 36 medals, including silver and bronze at the Olympic Games, 22 world medals and 12 European medals. She also holds the silver medal of the Royal Order of Sporting Merit awarded in 2013. 

Since 2016, Iberdrola has been a pioneer in promoting women's equality through sport in Spain, benefiting more than 600,000 women athletes through its support to 32 national sports federations, that is, 2 out of every 3 federated women. 

Since then, Iberdrola's initiatives have led to a 36% increase in the number of women's licences in the Federations supported and it has more than 100 competitions with its own name, including 32 Iberdrola leagues.