Daniela Velasco

{{Infobox sportsperson

| name = Daniela Velasco

| image =

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| fullname = Daniela Eugenia Velasco Maldonado

| nicknames =

| nationality = {{MEX}}

| event = 1500 meters & 400 meters

|disability_class= T12

| club = Aldebaran Track and Field México

| coach = Fabricio Chamor

| collegeteam =

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1995|8|24|df=y}}

| birth_place = Mexico City

| death_date =

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| education = Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México

| show-medals = yes

| medaltemplates =

{{MedalCountry| {{MEX}} }}

| updated =

}}

Daniela Eugenia Velasco Maldonado (born 24 August 1995) is a Mexican Paralympic athlete who was part of the Mexican delegation at the 2016 Summer Paralympics.{{Cite web|url=https://www.paralympic.org/news/mexico-announce-66-strong-delegation-rio-2016|title=Mexico announce 66-strong delegation for Rio 2016|website=www.paralympic.org|access-date=2016-08-15}} She was a bronze medalist in the 400 meters dash of the T12 category at the 2012 Summer Paralympics.{{Cite web|url=http://www.informador.com.mx/deportes/2012/402367/6/daniela-velasco-da-novena-medalla-paralimpica-para-mexico.htm|title=Daniela Velasco da novena medalla paralímpica para México|access-date=2016-08-15}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.dgcs.unam.mx/boletin/bdboletin/2014_003.html|title=Atreverse es el principio: Daniela Velasco|website=www.dgcs.unam.mx|access-date=2016-08-15}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.mediotiempo.com/mas-deportes/juegos-olimpicos/noticias/2012/09/04/daniela-velasco-se-llevo-el-bronce-en-400-metros|title=Daniela Velasco se llevó el bronce en 400 metros|date=9 April 2012 |language=es-MX|access-date=2016-08-15}} She was close to being a medalist in the 1500 meters of Rio 2016 but was then disqualified.{{cite news|title=A 3 centésimas del bronce…Luego descalificada|url=http://sportspedia.com.mx/a-3-centesimas-del-bronce/|accessdate=12 September 2016|agency=Sportspedia México|publisher=sportspedia.com.mx|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160920021249/http://sportspedia.com.mx/a-3-centesimas-del-bronce/|archive-date=20 September 2016|url-status=dead}}

Personal life

As a child she suffered the loss of an eye and rehabilitated at the National Institute for Rehabilitation of Blind and Visually Impaired Children of Mexico.

Her start in athletics was motivated by Ana Gabriela Guevara, whom she watched competing in the 2004 Summer Olympics, so she looked for opportunities to practice adaptive sports in the Mexican Paralympic Center.

She is a student of the National Preparatory School of the National Autonomous University of Mexico. Her coach is Fabricio Chamor and her guide is Gabriel Urbina.

Sports career

Velasco won two bronze medals and one silver medal at the 2011 Parapan American Games, in the 100, 200 and 400-meters dash, respectively.

At the 2012 Summer Paralympics, she competed in the 400 meters dash in the T12 category, with her guide Jose Fuentes, obtaining the bronze medal with a time of 58.51.

In the 2015 Parapan American Games, she achieved the gold medal in the 800 meters T12 category with a 2:16.89 run time, which represented an American record.