Tokyo Olympics 2020: Australian volleyball star Mariafe Artacho del Solar reveals meaning of tattoo

Aussie beach volleyball star Mariafe reveals the touching meaning behind the tattoo inked across her wrist – as she claims silver with partner Taliqua Clancy in nail-biting clash with the US

  • Olympic volleyball star Mariafe Artacho del Solar revealed meaning her tattoo
  • The 27-year-old has the Spanish word ‘fuerza’ – force – inked on her right wrist
  • The right-side defender moved from Peru to Sydney when she was 11 years old
  • Artacho del Solar took silver with her partner Taliqua Clancy 2-0 to the USA 

Australian Olympic volleyball star and silver medalist Mariafe Artacho del Solar has revealed the meaning behind the tattoo that serves as a reminder of her South American heritage.

The right-side defender, 27, who moved from Peru to Sydney’s beachside suburb of Manly when she was 11 years old, has the word ‘fuerza’ – Spanish for ‘force’ – inked in cursive script across her right wrist.

Artacho del Solar, who took silver with her partner Taliqua Clancy in a nail-biting 2-0 clash against USA’s Alix Klineman and April Ross at Shiokaze Park in Tokyo on Friday, recently revealed the tattoo is a symbol of her Peruvian ‘inner fire and strength’.

Australian Olympic volleyball star Mariafe Artacho del Solar (pictured) has the Spanish word ‘fuerza’ – ‘force’ – tattooed across her right wrist as a reminder of her Peruvian heritage

Artacho del Solar (left) faced Team USA's Alix Klineman and April Ross with her partner, Taliqua Clancy (right), at Shiokaze Park in Tokyo where they lost 2-0

Artacho del Solar (left) faced Team USA’s Alix Klineman and April Ross with her partner, Taliqua Clancy (right), at Shiokaze Park in Tokyo where they lost 2-0

‘It’s that “fuerza” I carry in me – that inner fire and strength and that never give up spirit,’ she told 7News, pointing to the word etched on her arm.  

Speaking of her partner Clancy, Artacho del Solar said the ‘trust and belief’ they have in each other is ‘special’ and typically ‘doesn’t come easy’ in beach volleyball pairings.

‘It’s been that way since the beginning,’ she said fondly. 

Earlier this week, Daily Mail Australia revealed why beach volleyball players are often seen rubbing sand on their hands during matches.

The trick is designed to absorb sweat and give players a better grip on the ball.

And while you might expect to see sweat-drenched bodies quickly caked in dust, professional beach volleyballers can dive head first into the ground without a single grain clinging to them.

That’s because the sand is not the same sand you walk on at Bondi or St Kilda.

Mariafe Artacho del Solar rubs sand between her hands during a preliminary match at Shiokaze Park on July 25 - a trick rub used to absorb sweat and get a better grip on the ball

Mariafe Artacho del Solar rubs sand between her hands during a preliminary match at Shiokaze Park on July 25 – a trick rub used to absorb sweat and get a better grip on the ball

No sand, no problem: Sand used in Olympic competitions does not stick to players' skin because it is made from fine grains that contain no trace of pebbles, stones or shells

No sand, no problem: Sand used in Olympic competitions does not stick to players’ skin because it is made from fine grains that contain no trace of pebbles, stones or shells

Mariafe Artacho del Solar (left) and Taliqua Clancy (right) of Team Australia celebrate after defeating Team Latvia during the Women's Semifinal beach volleyball at the Tokyo Olympics

Mariafe Artacho del Solar (left) and Taliqua Clancy (right) of Team Australia celebrate after defeating Team Latvia during the Women’s Semifinal beach volleyball at the Tokyo Olympics

Sand used in Olympic competitions is heavily regulated by the International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) to ensure it does contains no pebbles or fragments of shells, according to Business Insider Australia.

The sand must meet a very specific set of guidelines and because of that high quality, it falls right off the players. 

The fine shape results in a smoother grain than what you scrunch between your toes, which means it can come in contact with skin without sticking to it.

This year, Tokyo imported 3,500 tons of sand from Vietnam to create a 16-inch deep surface that is safe and consistent for players.

Read more at DailyMail.co.uk