The stories that are processed are the ones that get the best results. The idyllic pool of Marta Fernández (Burgos, 29) is proof of that.this swimmers hate swimming Her parents signed her up for rehab when she was a child — she has cerebral palsy. “Swimming pools scare me and as a kid I wouldn’t let go of curbs. It’s amazing, my mum said she didn’t want to go in and now I don’t want to leave the pool,” she told Relevo.
It’s not that he doesn’t want to leave the pool now, but when he does, he has a few medals around his neck. She has the most medals of any Spanish swimmer — five — Manchester Paralympic Swimming World Championships: two gold medals in the 50m and 100m freestyle S3 (including one on his birthday), a silver in the 150m IM SM3, a silver in the 50m Won two bronze medals in breaststroke SB3 and 4x50m medley relay with 20 points.
“I didn’t expect things to turn out like this. I haven’t settled into Tokyo yet, to give you an idea. The Tokyo medals are at my parents’ house, and when I look at them, I think, “Joe, that’s all I’ve achieved.” It seems unbelievable that two years have passed and there is still one year left from the Paris Olympics,” he said.
The 2024 Paris Olympics will be his second. At the Paralympic Games in Japan, The ships were made of gold, silver, and bronze. Her three-peat in her Paralympic debut made her the most decorated Spanish athlete, so, Closing ceremony flag bearer. It was a memorable moment for her, despite having no spectators or family due to pandemic restrictions: “I enjoyed it like a girl, it was like the stadium was packed, but the veterans told us it was all very Different, Paris is next door and my parents will be able to experience it at the foot of the pool”.
Paris is the first city he will visit during the Olympics, and time is running out. But, after his World Cup endeavors, it was time for a break, although he hasn’t lost sight of his goals. “I want to repeat the podium in some racesBut since things can change a lot in a year, I’d rather not think about medals and instead focus on getting to Paris in the best shape possible and enjoying it. “
Perales and Gasol, two other flag bearers for reference
Manchester World Cup medals come after tough year Disease setbacks also forced her to change categorieswhich will affect the amount of testing that can be done for the 2024 Paris Olympics: “Testing has been reduced and I think I can only swim three events,” he explained.
Another swimmer who had to change categories at the World Cup was Teresa Perales, who was her greatest reference in the pool. When we asked him if he would one day achieve that goal, he replied humbly: “Teresa has 27 Paralympic medals…she wants 28 and I only have three. I wish I could be like her, I have admired her since the beginning and I am so lucky to live with her and share a team”. Perales, who competed in the World Cup with only one arm after shoulder surgery, finished fourth twice and fifth once and broke three Spanish records. “He has unbelievable adaptability. It’s very difficult to adapt to swimming with only one arm, that is, you have to relearn to swim and hopefully in Paris you can win your 28th medal… or more,” said Fernandez.
He also adores a basketball player, especially the best in Spanish history, who was inducted into the NBA Hall of Fame this weekend. “On a sporting level, I’ve always admired Pau Gasol because he always knew how to stand up, like Rafa Nadal, but if they told me ‘Who would you have coffee with?’, I’d say, ‘with Pau Gasol’”.
medalists and officials
The swimming pool that terrified her as a child is now her happy place. “It gives me a greater sense of freedom and I notice less of external constraints It helps slow down my degenerative disease.”
But Burgos doesn’t just stand out in the water. He studied business administration and management and passed the national administrative examination. It was a victory any opponent would have wanted for a medal, but it initially created some uncertainty for the swimmer. “I started working in March 2021, a few months before the Tokyo Olympics. I am terrified of not being able to combine exercise with workbut everything is easy, I can do both in a very short period of time, I have some colleagues who live like my family, and everything is easier.”
Official and Paralympic medalist…but she still continues to joke around with coach Raul Carrasco. “When I arrived in Valladolid – the modern center – I didn’t know how to swim a butterfly or a somersault, my coach dived in and taught me…we always say that If they told us that day that I was going to the Olympics, we would have laughed because it seemed almost impossible“, series.
