Javier Facundo Martínez has learned at his early age that sometimes your destiny takes you to latitudes where you never thought you’d go. And sometimes the simplest of questions are often the hardest to answer. “Where are you from?” is one of them for this outspoken athlete, who is turning into one of the eye-openers figures of the CEV U20 Beach Volleyball European Championship in Vilnius. He usually takes a bit or two to answer. “I am from Argentina. But I am Italian”.

A wordplay? Not quite. “I was born in Argentina and I feel Argentinean, all the way. However, I play for Italy and I will defend the Italian shirt until death”, said Martínez. The story of Javier Facundo Martínez starts in the Argentinean city of Cordoba where he was born 18 years ago. In the Pampas region, young Martinez spent the early years of his life. Then Volleyball came to change his destiny. “Yes, I was used to play Volleyball when I was young. My brothers were players, so we played often as a recreation; but back then I wasn’t much into this sport. My thing was boxing”.

Luckily for him, his whereabouts would end up far from the rings. And from his native Argentina, for that matter. When he was 11 years old, his brothers were signed by Italian clubs to play Volleyball and this occasion represented the perfect way out of the difficult economical situation of the South American country for the Martinez family. Javier Facundo and his family arrived then in Sardinia looking for greener pastures and at least the youngest of the saga found one. “I started playing Volleyball, in Serie D and fortunately, I received an offer to join Lube Banca Marche MACERATA”, said Martinez.

In the ranks of the Italian giants, Javier Facundo Martinez began making a name for himself in the sport. Characterized by his versatility and his great physical skills, which makes possible for him to play as ‘universal’ and even alternate between setter, receiver and middle blocker, Javier Facundo Martinez has already tasted the glory of triumphs in Volleyball, since together with his team Cucine Lube Banca Marche the young player won last season the Junior Under 20 championship and also the Under 19 domestic tournaments in Italy.

“I love Beach Volleyball”, he says. So, in 2012 he switched from the Taraflex to the sand and was selected by the Italian Federation to represent this country at the CEV U18 Beach Volleyball European Championship in Brno. “But wait”, people may ask, “Aren’t you Argentinean?”. “My mother was born in Argentina but her family was originally from Italy so we always had double citizenship. This means that I was eligible to represent Italy”, comments the young star. Asked about if Argentinean Volleyball is aware of all this, Javier Facundo Martinez frankly answers: “I was never approached by them”. Would he ever change allegiance to play for Argentina?. “No way, absolutely not. It is not that I don’t feel Argentinean, I totally do, but it’d be like cheating Italy and I want to remain true to those who have given me so much”, declared.

Martinez’s heart may be in the Andes but his head remains in his European country of residence. “I cannot be grateful enough for what Italy gave me. This country gave me a new life and I will always cherish that”, said the player. “I never expected to be called by the Italian Federation to represent this country and now that I am able to do that, I only have words of gratitude”, says the athlete who started the Championship in Vilnius with two victories. However, Martinez is very sure of where his heart is. “I feel Argentinean, big time. You should see my room, all full of Argentinean shirts and flags! I speak Spanish at home and I keep the accent, so I am as close to my Argentinean roots as anyone can be”, he adds.

As for what the future lays, Martinez wishes to be able to continue doing what he likes the most. “I would love to keep on playing Beach Volleyball. I love it! I'd like to also play Volleyball in my club, but I think that because of my condition, it’d be harder for me to succeed in Volleyball, as opposed to Beach Volleyball”, commented Martinez, who otherwise is studying to become an orthodontist.

Whatever the destinyhas planned for him, Martinez will always keep his duality and will always live with so many kilometers in his mind. Then if, God forbid, Argentina would meet Italy in the Final of a World Championship, which team would he root for? “Argentina, for sure!... I just hope that day never comes!”.

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