| Medal record | ||
|---|---|---|
| Women's Karate | ||
| Competitor for the Dominican Republic | ||
| Central American and Caribbean Karate Championship | ||
| Gold | Mayaguez, 2010 | Female Kata |
| World Games | ||
| Silver | Taiwan, 2009 | Female Kata |
| Pan American Karate Championship | ||
| Gold | Curacao, 2009 | Female Kata |
| Central American and Caribbean Karate Championship | ||
| Gold | Dominican Republic, 2009 | Female Kata |
| Pan American Karate Championship | ||
| Gold | Venezuela, 2008 | Female Kata |
| Central American and Caribbean Karate Championship | ||
| Gold | Mexico, 2008 | Female Kata |
| Ibero-American and Caribbean Karate Championship | ||
| Silver | Venezuela, 2008 | Female Kata |
| Central American and Caribbean Karate Championship | ||
| Gold | Nicaragua, 2007 | Female Kata |
| Central American and Caribbean GAMES | ||
| Gold | Colombia 2006 | Female Kata |
| World Shito Ryu Karate Championship | ||
| Bronze | Tokyo 2006 | Female Kata |
| Pan American Junior & Cadet Karate Championship | ||
| Gold | Uruguay, 2005 | Female Kata 18/20 |
| World Junior & Cadet Karate Championship | ||
| Bronze | Cyprus, 2005 | Female Kata 18/20 |
María "Mimi" Dimitrova (born October 11, 1985) is a Karateka from the Dominican Republic.
She was born in Bulgaria to father Valeri Dimitrov and mother Maya Ivanova, both citizens of that same country. At the age of 6, her family made the trip to the Dominican Republic and settled for good in Sosua, Puerto Plata.[1] A friend of the family had recommended the country to them.
María started to practice Karate since four years old, as her father was a Karateka as well. The "princess of Karate" (as she's called much due to her looks and ability in the Martial Art) has been ranked among the best in the world in Karate Kata since 2005. That year, she won the gold medal at the XVI Pan-American Junior Karate Championship in Montevideo, Uruguay.[2]
It was on that same year, when she won her first bronze medal at the Cyprus Youth Karate Championship. Won Gold in the 2006 Central American and Caribbean Games in Cartagena de Indias, Colombia. She has the scepters for the Pan-American Games, Central American and Caribbean Games for 2007, 2008 and 2009.
In 2008 she ranked at 5th place on the World Karate Championship in Japan.
Dimitrova has been given the award of Karate Athlete of The Year award, in recognition from the Dominican Federation of Karate (FEDOKARATE), the Association of sports Writers (ACD) and the Dominican Olympic Committee (COD) three times already, in 2006, 2008 and 2009.
Thanks to her international achievements in Karate, Dimitrova has been set as an example for the youth of the Dominican Republic. She has been already nominated and finalist two times for the National Youth Award in 2008 and 2009, given by the Ministry of the National Youth of the Dominican Republic.
After winning the 2008 Panamerican Karate Championship, she qualified for the 2009 World Games. There she won the silver medal.[3]
Currently she's pursuing a career in Business Administration at Grantham University in Kansas City, USA. She's also an entrepreneur, as she started her own company under "CAFEERA". She describes her newly formed company as an importer of Italian Espresso machines. Not long ago, she produced a TV program aimed at young adults in Puerto Plata. During her TV production time, she was able to sign a contract with a European TV Satellite carrier to carry tourism programming to 24 countries in three languages.
She describes a passion for TV production, but emphasizes that it's a time consuming task with a heavy toll of dedication for success. Her Karate training now requires a big chunk of her available time.