Madrid, Oct 17 (IANS/EFE): Following in the footsteps of actresses Charlize Theron and Monica Bellucci, gymnast Barbara Gonzalez has become the first Spaniard to represent the Martini image worldwide.

"I'm really happy, it's like a dream. I'm going to work very hard so as not to disappoint all those putting their trust in me," she said Tuesday in a press release.

The 27-year-old Gonzalez said that she always looks "on the bright side" of things and from any mistakes tries to learn a lesson that will help her improve.

The young woman, who as an athlete was on Spain's rhythmic gymnastics team at the Athens and Beijing Olympics, tries to get the most fun out of everything she does.

"My slogan is: when you do things whole-heartedly and you really love and believe in what you're doing, it makes the difficult easy," she said.

Gonzalez, who was chosen by a jury to embody the brand's values - "Luck is an Attitude" - will be the Martini image in all its events and campaigns of 2013, a year that marks the firm's 150th anniversary.

The current Martini man, Yuri Buzzi, has said that ever since he laid eyes on Barbara Gonzalez he knew she was going to be the winner - not an easy task either, since more than 3,500 young women from 23 countries were in the running.