{{Short description|Argentine field hockey player}} {{Infobox field hockey player | name = Magdalena Aicega | image = Magui_aicega_en_2008.jpg | image_size = | alt = | caption = Aicega in 2008 | full_name = María Magdalena Aicega | birth_name = <!-- if different --> | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1973|11|1|df=y}} | birth_place = Buenos Aires, Argentina | death_date = <!-- {{Death date and age|YYYY|MM|DD|df=y}} --> | death_place = | height = <!-- {{Convert| |cm|ftin|frac=2|abbr=on}} or {{Convert| |ft| |in|cm|abbr=on}} --> | weight = | position = Defender | currentclub = | youthyears1 = Belgrano A.C. | youthclubs1 = | youthyears2 = | youthclubs2 = | years1 = 1987–2019 | clubs1 = Belgrano A.C. | years2 = 2023 | clubs2 = Belgrano A.C. | nationalyears1 = 1993–2008 | nationalteam1 = Argentina | nationalcaps(goals)1 = | nationalyears2 = | nationalteam2 = | nationalcaps(goals)2 = | manageryears1 = 2019–23 | managerclubs1 = Belgrano A.C. | manageryears2 = | managerclubs2 = | medaltemplates = | updated = }} {{MedalTableTop}} {{MedalSport | Women's field hockey}} {{MedalCountry | {{ARG}} }} {{MedalCompetition|Olympic Games}} {{MedalSilver|2000 Sydney|Team}} {{MedalBronze|2004 Athens|Team}} {{MedalBronze|2008 Beijing|Team}} {{MedalCompetition|World Cup}} {{MedalGold| 2002 Perth | Team}} {{MedalSilver| 1994 Dublin | Team}} {{MedalBronze| 2006 Madrid | Team}} {{MedalCompetition|Champions Trophy}} {{MedalGold| 2001 Amstelveen | Team}} {{MedalGold|2008 Mönchengladbach| Team}} {{MedalSilver| 2002 Macau | Team}} {{MedalSilver| 2007 Quilmes | Team}} {{MedalBronze| 2004 Rosario | Team}} {{MedalCompetition|Pan American Games}} {{MedalGold| 1995 Mar del Plata | Team}} {{MedalGold| 1999 Winnipeg | Team}} {{MedalGold| 2003 Santo Domingo | Team}} {{MedalGold| 2007 Rio de Janeiro | Team}} {{MedalCompetition|Pan American Cup}} {{MedalGold| 2001 Kingston | Team}} {{MedalBottom}} '''María Magdalena Aicega Amicarelli''' (born 1 November 1973) is an Argentine retired field hockey, who won the silver medal at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia and the bronze medal at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece and at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China with the Argentina national team.
Aicega, who played as a central defender, is regarded as one of the most notable players in the history of ''Las Leonas'',<ref name=tyc1>[https://www.tycsports.com/polideportivo/magdalena-magui-aicega-vuelve-jugar-hockey-cesped-49-anos-id526898.html Magui Aicega, histórica de Las Leonas, vuelve a jugar a los 49 años: el curioso motivo] on TyC</ref><ref name=infob1>[https://www.infobae.com/deportes/2023/08/01/una-historica-de-las-leonas-vuelve-del-retiro-a-los-49-anos-para-evitar-el-descenso-de-su-equipo-me-costo-tomar-una-decision/ Una histórica de Las Leonas vuelve del retiro a los 49 años para evitar el descenso de su equipo: “Me costó tomar una decisión”] on Infobae, 1 Aug 2023</ref><ref>[https://adnpositivo.com/una-leyenda-de-las-leonas-vuelve-a-la-actividad-a-sus-49-anos-para-salvar-a-su-equipo-del-descenso/ Una leyenda de Las Leonas vuelve a la actividad a sus 49 años para salvar a su equipo del descenso] by Matías Petrone on ADN Positivo, 1 Aug 2023</ref> for whom she played for more than 15 years.<ref name=lp/>
== Overview == Aicega started her career in Belgrano Athletic at 7 years old, and debuting with the senior squad seven years later. At 16, Aicega played her first match for the Argentina national team.<ref name=bac>[https://belgranoathletic.club/magui-aicega-le-di-todo-al-hockey-y-el-hockey-me-dio-todo/ Magui Aicega: “Le di todo al hockey, y el hockey me dio todo”], interview to Aicega on BAC</ref>
Aicega won the 2002 World Cup, two Champions Trophy, four gold medals at the Pan American Games and the Pan American Cup in 2001. Nicknamed ''Magui'', she first represented her native country at the Junior World Cup in 1993 in Barcelona, Spain, where Argentina won the gold. The following year the penalty corner hitter played for the senior team, finishing second at the World Cup in Dublin, Ireland. Aicega retired from the national team in 2008.<ref name=lp>[https://www.laprensa.com.ar/A-Magui-Aicega-le-llego-la-hora-del-adios-tras-15-anos-de-exitos-323784.note.aspx A Magui Aicega le llegó la hora del adiós tras 15 años de éxitos] on ''La Prensa'', 22 Aug 2008</ref>
Aicega was awarded with the Silver Olimpia Award, the most prestigious local prize awarded by Argentina's Sports Journalists Association, in 1998 and 2003. She was also nominated for the FIH's Best Player of the Year in 1999, won by Australia's Alyson Annan. Aicega was also awarded with the ''Premio Konex'' of Argentina in 2000.<ref>[https://www.fundacionkonex.org/b2009-maria-magdalena-aicega María Magdalena Aicega] profile on Fundación Konex</ref>
After 33 years playing for Belgrano, in 2019 Aicega retired from hockey. She later became coach of the Belgrano's youth divisions.<ref name=bac/> Nevertheless, in August 2023, Aicega (who was 49 years old by then) announced she would return to play for Belgrano Athletic the "Torneo Reubicación", a promotion and relegation tournament.<ref name=tyc1/><ref name=espn1>[https://www.espn.com.ar/hockey-sobre-cesped/nota/_/id/12387114/hockey-sobre-cesped-magui-aicega-belgrano Magui Aicega volverá a jugar en Belgrano para la Reubicación] on ESPN.ar</ref><ref name=infob1/> Belgrano was finally relegated to the second division along with San Martín.<ref>[https://www.espn.com.ar/hockey-sobre-cesped/nota/_/id/12113666/metropolitano-hockey-resultados-fecha-damas-ahba Terminó el Torneo Reubicación A/B, quiénes jugarán en Primera A] on ESPN, Nov 2023</ref>
== Other work == After her retirement from hockey, Aicega (who has a degree in nutrition) has worked as a sports commentator (covering hockey and then football matches for TNT Argentina).<ref>[https://provinciaradio.com.ar/noticia.php?noti_id=1956 MAGUI AICEGA: "ME PREPARÉ MUCHO PARA HACER PERIODISMO"] on Provinciaradio.com.ar, 26 May 2021</ref><ref>[https://rockingtalent.com/magui-aicega-leona-de-la-revolucion/ Magui Aicega: Leona de la revolución] by Ximena Desaloms on Rockintalent, 8 March 2023</ref> She had also a brief tenure as director of ENARD (acronym of "Ente Nacional de Alto Rendimiento Deportivo") in 2017.<ref>[https://www.pagina12.com.ar/407915-magui-aicega-eramos-un-grupo-de-chicas-que-le-competiamos-a- Magui Aicega: "Eramos un grupo de chicas que le competíamos a las mejores del mundo con poco"] by Florencia Mó on Pagina/12 - 15 Mar 2022</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== {{commons cat-inline}} * {{sports links}} * [http://magdalenaicega.galeon.com/ Website with more information] * {{SR/Olympics profile|ai/magdalena-aicega-1}}
{{Navboxes |title=Magdalena Aicega – International Tournaments |list1= {{Argentina FHW Squad 1994 World Cup}} {{Argentina FHW Squad 1995 Pan American Games}} {{Argentina FHW Squad 1996 Summer Olympics}} {{Argentina FHW Squad 1998 World Cup}} {{Argentina FHW Squad 1999 Champions Trophy}} {{Argentina FHW Squad 1999 Pan American Games}} {{Argentina FHW Squad 2000 Champions Trophy}} {{Argentina FHW Squad 2000 Summer Olympics}} {{Argentina FHW Squad 2001 Pan American Cup}} {{Argentina FHW Squad 2001 Champions Trophy}} {{Argentina FHW Squad 2002 Champions Trophy}} {{Argentina FHW Squad 2002 World Cup}} {{Argentina FHW Squad 2003 Pan American Games}} {{Argentina FHW Squad 2003 Champions Trophy}} {{Argentina FHW Squad 2004 Summer Olympics}} {{Argentina FHW Squad 2004 Champions Trophy}} {{Argentina FHW Squad 2005 Champions Trophy}} {{Argentina FHW Squad 2006 Champions Trophy}} {{Argentina FHW Squad 2006 World Cup}} {{Argentina FHW Squad 2007 Champions Trophy}} {{Argentina FHW Squad 2007 Pan American Games}} {{Argentina FHW Squad 2008 Champions Trophy}} {{Argentina FHW Squad 2008 Summer Olympics}} }}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Aicega, Magdalena}} Category:1973 births Category:Living people Category:Argentine women's field hockey players Category:Belgrano Athletic Club field hockey players Category:Field hockey players from Buenos Aires Category:Field hockey players at the 1996 Summer Olympics Category:Field hockey players at the 2000 Summer Olympics Category:Field hockey players at the 2004 Summer Olympics Category:Field hockey players at the 2007 Pan American Games Category:Field hockey players at the 2008 Summer Olympics Category:Olympic field hockey players for Argentina Category:Olympic silver medalists for Argentina Category:Olympic bronze medalists for Argentina Category:Pan American Games gold medalists for Argentina Category:Las Leonas players Category:Olympic medalists in field hockey Category:Medalists at the 2000 Summer Olympics Category:Medalists at the 2004 Summer Olympics Category:Medalists at the 2008 Summer Olympics Category:Pan American Games gold medalists in field hockey Category:Pan American Games field hockey players for Argentina Category:Medalists at the 2007 Pan American Games Category:Medalists at the 1995 Pan American Games Category:Medalists at the 1999 Pan American Games Category:Medalists at the 2003 Pan American Games Category:20th-century Argentine sportswomen Category:21st-century Argentine sportswomen