Silvia Bañón from Spain, the runner-up in this year’s Women’s New South Wales Open, tells us why being active is an important part of her healthy lifestyle.
Who got you into sport and what sports did you try when you were younger?
It was my family who got me into sport but I also went to a school that had many different sports on offer for us to try. I started with ballet and I also played tennis. Later on, it was actually me who got my family into golf. I joined once a friend to golf practice and I enjoyed it a lot. I told my parents I wanted to start so they had to take me to practice and wait for me until I finished practicing. Instead of just waiting for me they also started practicing in the end. The nice thing with golf is that you can play together with your friends and family no matter what golf level or age you are.
What about sport makes you happy?
Sport makes me happy because I am in contact with nature, it teaches me good life values and I can meet wonderful people who share the same interests as me. We are lucky here in Spain with all the nice nature and good weather and I try to take advantage of it as much as possible.
Besides golf, what sports do you do actively and why?
Sometimes I play paddle tennis just to have fun. I enjoy playing with my boyfriend and friends. Paddle tennis is a nice side sport for me and it is easy to combine with golf. Besides golf I don’t do any other sports because of the risk of injury.
What does the #BeActive campaign mean to you and why do you support the campaign?
The #BeActive campaign is important because people need to be conscious of doing any type of sport to stay healthy and also to improve their health. I am happy to support this campaign to encourage that mentality in other people.
How do you use your position to help and inspire other people to have an active lifestyle?
I think one of the most popular platforms to reach out to young people is social media and for me especially Instagram. I try to inspire other people by uploading posts about my life and tournaments and adding posts that inspire other people to be healthy, eat healthy and stay well.
Silvia cooking Paella for LET tour friends
@silviabanongolf
#beactive
