Mireia Belmonte, optimistic about “doing a good role in Paris”

Mireia BelmonteOlympic swimming champion at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games, declared on Monday that his shoulders, which have prevented him from competing in Spain for more than a year, will dictate “the tests and the times when they may occur“in the short term, a time in which he dreams of the Games in Paris, where he is optimistic about his classification and “doing a great job.”

The swimmer from Badalona returned to compete at an international level last week in Rotterdam Qualification Rally and couldn’t get past 53rd place in the 200 freestyle series, which was the test of choice Royal Spanish Swimming Federation so that the best four are the representatives of the 4×200 free relay at the Doha World Championships.

“Very good. I feel very lucky to see myself competing after a long time with a shoulder injury. I was excited and nervous. I feel pretty good about what I have in mind, to be honest. Before this weekend I was only moving my arm for a short time and I don’t know if I can give my best in that competition,” said Belmonte in a press conference held in Madrid.

After overcoming a shoulder injury, first to the left and then to the rightMireia will try to qualify for the Paris Olympic Games through the Spanish Open next summer.

“There’s a lot of time left until the Games. QWe have enough time because I can qualify until June and I am optimistic. Games are a way of life. You think 24 hours a day about swimming, training, recovery, training again. After all you live for the sport and when the important dates come there is a lot of excitement because the Games years are prepared with more love. Right now, in my case, the shoulder will dictate the tests I have to prepare for and the times,” he confessed.

“The main tests to prepare are the styles, which I know I can swim welland the rest will be seen,” declared Mireia, ambassador of Banco Santander, who continues to train and compete in pain.

“I will suffer every day, I know that. The pain I feel all the time is normal. I knew I had to play with the pain. With an injury, not throughout the day, it’s linear, and I know that when you introduce exercises, there’s always muscle adaptation and adaptations,” he confessed.

The long recovery process from a shoulder injury means that mental level work also became important.

“I’ve spent a year moving my feet and it’s been a hard year. It hasn’t been easy. It’s hard to get out of water work because I’m in training, but I have to learn that the daily menu is to do the feet, always the feet. With the goal of the Games in mind, it’s important to keep going and now I’m leaving the process and enjoying swimming again. The important thing was to strengthen my legs and that’s what I worked on, to find the positive side and be successful from that moment,” he said.

“Some days are more difficult than others but having the goal of Paris closer makes me keep trying. If I gave up, I would have had a thorn if I hadn’t tried.. More to see from Mireia. I’m on my way to doing a good job in Paris. It’s important to have the confidence to know that I can continue winning races and I want to do the highest competition before the Games,” said the Catalan swimmer, who is not looking beyond Paris 2024.

“I’m excited about these Games“, stressed Mireia, ambitious as always. “I’m not signing a bronze in Paris although today I would say yes. Then, in a couple of months, maybe not anymore,” he commented.

On his way to Paris Olympic Games Mireia Belmonte He is currently working with British trainer Ben Titley.

“The most important change was as a coach when I started with Ben. Everything happens for a reason and in my case it was the injury. I have to be more patient, work every day and be more consistent and not think if what do I have to do tomorrow. “Now I focus more on medium-distance events and the series and rhythm have also changed. I have to learn to train at high intensity for a long time,” he concluded.

Mireia Belmonte has a track record with her four Olympic medals (a gold and a bronze in Rio 2016, two silvers in London 2012), six world medals (one gold, four silver and one bronze) and 13 Europeans (4 gold, 5 silver and 4 bronze).