“I want to place myself among the best to have a ‘run’ before Paris”

Madrid, January 22 (Europe Press) –

Spanish swimmer Saray Gascon made it clear that she wants to position herself “among the best” in her sport in 2023, “a very important year to celebrate the World Cup in Manchester (UK), to have a” race “” before the 2024 Paris Paralympic Games which he dreams of In it he won the gold medal, a medal he lacked, and a “difficult” challenge, but he would strive for it to bring out his “best version”.

“This Paralympic Games is shorter, only three years. 2023 will be very important, we have the World Cup in Manchester at the end of July, and there will be places for the Paris Games. We have to be very strong and try,” Gascon said in an interview with Europa Press, after receiving the award. Her certification is as a scholarship holder from the Spanish Paralympic Committee (CPE) and the Iberdrola España Foundation.

However, the Manchester World Cup is not the only motivation for Gascon, who will attend “other tests” in which he will have “options” for success. “You should never miss opportunities,” he stressed, although he reiterated that “his goal is to get a medal in the World Cup.” “If it can be more than one, even better. I want to place myself among the best to actually take the ‘run’ for Paris,” the swimmer with the Olympic gold medal between her eyebrows wished.

“It’s a medal that I’m missing, I know it’s very tough, but why not. I’m training to do my best, my best, to give my best. But I can’t control the rest of the swimmers. I hope good training is coupled with good luck and I get to win,” he said firmly. The golden medal “.

The 30-year-old Catalan swimmer has already won silver in Beijing 2008, silver and bronze in London 2012, three silvers in Rio 2016 and silver and bronze in Tokyo 2020. In addition, in 2022 she has shown that she can continue to compete with the best, collecting five medals, two silvers (200-meter medley and mixed 4×100 medley relay) and three bronze (50 and 100-meter freestyle and mixed relay 4×100 freestyle); All this in his category of physical disability S9 at the World Cup in Funchal (Portugal).

An example of him not losing motivation, “on top” despite being in the pool for over 20 years. “New opponents have appeared, I’m getting younger, I’m getting more experienced, something that also has a good point. I try to take advantage of all the good things I’ve learned in these years, and apply them in training and competitions to keep improving. I always say that in swimming everything is decided in tenths and I will try to do everything in my power to continue to climb the podium, ”he explained.

Despite this, Gascon recognized that “sometimes the motivation wanes a little bit, because every year is the same”. “It helps me set short-term goals. For example, not thinking only about the World Cup this year, but also about the fact that in a month there will be a Spanish Championship. And also technical goals, nerves and the sum of all this will make me control everything and keep that motivation He talked about his way of continuing to enjoy swimming day in and day out.

“When I’m competing in an important event I get really nervous, those nerves are hard to control, although it’s partly good because they give you that point of adrenaline. But they can play a trick on you. I’ve been competing for 21 years and I still get nervous, we played All in one minute, and it’s only natural that those nerves show,” he confirmed.

Her veteran status and considerable experience have allowed her to take stock of Paralympic swimming management in recent years. The Catalan, who pointed out that the ADOP program did not exist when it began – it began in 2004 – highlighted the private contribution of companies such as Iberdrola or AXA. “The AXA Foundation helps a lot with promises that want to participate in major championships. They provide resources and create competitions so that swimmers can achieve their goals,” he explained.

And one of those promising Spanish Paralympic swimmers is 13-year-old Anastasia Dmitriev of Almeria, world 100 breaststroke champion at last World Cup finals. “I feel like I’m reflecting on her. She also started ‘very young’, at 14 she’s world champion and she has a very long way to go, the important thing is that she enjoys herself, she’s already a good athlete. She keeps achieving goals, but without putting too much pressure on Gascon advised the new hope in conditioned swimming.

Finally, the Catalan commented on her other profession, that of teaching, since she studied Early Childhood Education, a training she now wants to complete as a primary teacher. “I always thought that when I retired I wouldn’t know if I would still enjoy my day, but early childhood education fascinated me. I spent six months in a school and enjoyed it very much. I managed to put it together even though it was a very difficult months.”