TITLE: Venezuelan boxer sees Olympic hopes rekindled
COUNTRY: Trinidad and Tobago,
LOCATION: Port of Spain
SHOOT DATE: 14,15 April 2021
SOURCE: UNHCR
CREDITS: Mark Houlder, camera; Carla Bridglal, producer; Gabriel Calderón, Diana Diaz, editors
LANGUAGE: English
DURATION: SQ ENG/SPA -– 1min30 / WIDE ENG/SPA -– 1min52/ INT -– 5min23
RELEASE DATE: 3 June 2021

LEDE-IN:
The IOC Refugee Athlete Scholarship has given the young boxer the support he needs to train in hopes of qualifying for the Tokyo Olympics – something that just months ago looked all but impossible.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
Born in Caracas, Venezuela, Eldric, 24, used to live with his parents, older brother and younger sister in the 23 de Enero neighbourhood. He finished school but decided not to go to university in order to focus on his boxing career, an effort he has been making since he was nine years old. Despite the fact he didn’t continue with his studies, he considers himself as a person who is passionate about knowledge and always tries to keep learning. He was able to secure a place on the national team for about six months (before he was removed due to budget constraints).
The uncertainty of the life that he and his family lived in Venezuela, the increase in violence and the lack of access to basic services forced him and his girlfriend to leave their country to find safety in Trinidad and Tobago in 2018. He was then joined by his father, who has been coaching him for his entire life, and he is training with full dedication and commitment to his dream: taking part in the Olympic Games.
At the end of 2020, Eldric was awarded an Olympic scholarship, which has given the young boxer the support he needs to train in the hopes of qualifying for the Tokyo Olympics – something that just months ago looked all but possible.
Eldric Sella Rodríguez had dreamed of the Olympics since he was just a kid. But as the situation in his native Venezuela spiralled, this 24-year-old boxer knew that he had no choice but to flee – even if seeking safety cost him his lifelong ambition.
For Eldric and many other talented athletes forced to leave their homes, the very act of fleeing means not being able to qualify for national Olympic teams, and they are often also not legally able to compete for their host countries, leaving them with no hope of making it to the world’s premiere sporting event.
But even as he worked odd jobs to make ends meet in his host country, the Caribbean island-nation of Trinidad and Tobago, Eldric constantly sought to keep honing his boxing skills, on the off chance he found some way, any way, of qualifying for an Olympic team.

SCRIPT:
CLIP Eldric Sella Rodríguez, Venezuelan boxer and refugee: “There wasn’t a day I didn’t think I was going to the Olympics. When I was mixing concrete, I was thinking how that would help me in my boxing career. When I was cutting grass, I was thinking how that will help me in my boxing career.”
Siempre lo tuve en mente. No ha habido un día en el que no he pensado en las Olimpiadas. Cuando mezclaba cemento, pensaba cómo podría aportar a mi carrera de boxeo. Cuando cortaba pasto, pensaba cómo podría aportar a mi carrera de boxeo.
On screen text:
Eldric fell in love with boxing when he was a child
He won his first match when he was 15

Eldric se enamoró del boxeo cuando era niño
y ganó su primer torneo cuando tenía 15 años

CLIP Eldric Sella Rodríguez, Venezuelan boxer and refugee:
“There used to be a boxing gym near my house. There was a group of children that was interested in boxing. My first national championship, where I represented Caracas, my city, I won. I became a National Champion from Venezuela.”
Había un gimnasio de boxeo cerca a mi casa. Éramos un grupo de niños interesados en el boxeo. Mi primer campeonato nacional en el que representé a mi ciudad, Caracas, gané, me convertí en campeón Nacional de Venezuela.
On screen text:
Eldric made the national Venezuelan boxing team
But insecurity and shortages of basic items
forced him out of the team and out of his country

Eldric se unió al equipo Nacional de Boxeo
Pero la inseguridad y la escasez de productos básicos en Venezuela
lo obligaron a dejar el Equipo y a salir de su país

CLIP Eldric Sella Rodríguez, Venezuelan boxer and refugee: “We always got told when you leave the country you won’t be able to get to the Olympics. When I left Venezuela, I thought I was going to leave everything there.”
Siempre nos decían que si me iba del país no podría ir a las Olimpiadas. Cuando me fui de Venezuela, pensé que dejaría todo atrás.
On screen text:
Almost losing hope amid the COVID-19 pandemic
Eldric managed to get an IOC Refugee Athlete scholarship in 2020
He can now focus on training

Casi perdiendo la esperanza en medio de la pandemia
Eldric consiguió una beca de Atleta Olímpico en 2020
Ahora puede enforcarse en su entrenamiento

CLIP Eldric Sella Rodríguez, Venezuelan boxer and refugee: “When I got the approval to be in the programme, I felt I was back on my path, on what I do. I feel alive again. To have discipline to wake up, go and train – push yourself in the training, that's a big challenge: against me, against myself. So that, that is my biggest challenge right now.”
Cuando me aceptaron en el programa, sentí que estaba de vuelta a mi camino, a lo que hago. Me siento vivo de nuevo. Tener la disciplina para levantarme, salir e ir a entrenar, empujarte a entrenar, ese es el desafío más grande para mí. Soy yo contra mi mismo. Ese es el desafío más grande para mí en este momento.
On screen text:
Eldric is competing for a purpose
He wants to give hope to millions of displaced people
Eldric compite por un propósito
Quiere brindar esperanza a millones de personas desplazadas

CLIP Eldric Sella Rodríguez, Venezuelan boxer and refugee: “I feel if I make it to the Olympics, it will be not only for me. It will be for a bigger purpose. For me, for you, for him, for everybody in the world. I will go to Olympics and win for Venezuela. But for Trinidad and Tobago too. And plus for all the refugees around the world.”
Yo siento que si logro ir a los Olímpicos, no será solo para mí. Sera por un propósito más grande. Para mí, para ti, para todo el mundo. Iré a las Olimpiadas y ganaré por Venezuela, pero también por Trinidad y Tobago. Además, por todos los refugiados alrededor del mundo.

Shot list
00:00 – 00:04 Medium shot, Eldric training, his father (forefront) spotting
00:04 – 00:08 Close up, Eldric training, his father (forefront) spotting
00:08 – 00:10 Wide shot, Eldric training with battle rope
00:10 – 00:12 Medium shot, Eldric training with battle rope
00:12 – 00:16 Medium shot, Eldric, interview Clip
00:16 – 00:20 Photo, Eldric as a baby
00:20 – 00:24 Photo, Eldric holding medal in Venezuela
00:24 – 00:27 Wide shot, Eldric training back in Venezuela
00:27 – 00:30 Medium shot, Eldric, interview Clip
00:30 – 00:35 Wide shot, Eldric during championship in Venezuela
00:36 – 00:37 Medium shot, Eldric, interview Clip
00:37 – 00:41 Wide shot, Eldric walking into gym
00:41 – 00:44 Medium full shot, Eldric during training
00:44 – 00:48 Close up, hands, Eldric wrapping his hands with boxing tape
00:48 – 00:51 Medium shot, Eldric, interview Clip
00:51 – 00:55 Medium shot, Eldric punching bag during training
00:55 – 00:57 Medium close up, Eldric punching bag during training
00:57 – 01:00 Wide shot, Eldric jumping rope
01:00 – 01:04 Medium shot, Eldric jumping rope
01:04 – 01:08 Close up, feet, Eldric jumping rope
01:08 – 01:12 Medium shot, Eldric lifting weights
01:12 – 01:14 Close up, Eldric lifting weights
01:14 – 01:16 Medium shot, Eldric, interview Clip
01:16 – 01:18 Close up, weights, Close up, Eldric lifting weights from crate
01:18 – 01:21 Medium full shot, Eldric lifting weights
01:21 – 01:25 Medium close up, Eldric lifting weights
01:25 – 01:29 Medium shot, Eldric holding hammer
01:29 – 01:33 Medium shot, Eldric, his girlfriend and father
01:33 – 01:35 Medium shot, Eldric, interview Clip
01:35 – 01:39 Medium shot, Eldric, his girlfriend and father
01:39 – 01:41 Medium shot, Eldric, interview Clip
01:41 – 01:45 Medium shot, Eldric looking into the camera, clapping gloves together
01:45 – 01:47 Medium shot, Eldric, interview Clip
END