Esther Guerrero: “I arrived at Allianz Jean Bouin very excited and looking forward to it”

Esther, how did Jean Bouin end up at Allianz?

Very lively. After a very complicated 2022, last season it was a constant battle to return to the high level. I was able to run faster than before, my best positions in two international championships and I enjoyed the competition again more than before. The start of this 2024 season has been the opposite. I no longer have doubts or fears of the injury returning, it has been overcome and I am looking forward with enthusiasm.

What is your assessment of the season?

It is a gift. Like I said, this is where I started. In Bouin of 2022. I remember when I started and that was a challenge. I recently started running again and successfully completed it. Since then I have been increasing, progressing… I was 4th in the European indoor track, 13 hundredths away from 4 minutes to 1500, double champion of Spain, 16th in the World Championships… But above all I was able to return to my routine and enjoy everyday life. I didn’t expect any of this.

What did you enjoy the most this year?

If I could recover from a wound like mine. To overcome all doubts. The fact of not knowing if I could run fast again, if I could return to the elite… to return to the routine, until you find yourself you don’t appreciate how lucky it is to be a healthy athlete.

What does running Allianz Jean Bouin mean to you?

The start of a new season. A happy moment, where there is no rush, where the important thing is to add. Lots of goals ahead, lots of enthusiasm and most of all the desire to get there again.

The Allianz Jean Bouin is always a special race for you, especially this year with the 100th edition and all the new things there is, right?

Above all for the organization that worked so that we, the athletes, can enjoy it. Hopefully the weather and the public will be with us on Sunday, because we are really looking forward to these runners.

How do you explain to someone who has never run it what Allianz Jean Bouin is?

The Jean Bouin race is Barcelona’s road race that brings together the famous runner with the elite. This is a classic that tries to unite us all. Each has its own purpose, seeking to share the same spirit and at the same time, instilling a little history of our athletes in all the runners who come out to run every Sunday.

Do you remember the first time you ran it, the one in the snowfall when you were 9 years old?

Of course. I repeated it a thousand times. It’s a memory that will never go away. My first memory of a race.

What does it mean for you to win this race Sunday? Is it like closing a circle?

Winning the Jean Bouin, even if it is not a race that suits my characteristics because my way of moving does not quite adapt to the slope of Montjuic, is not closing a circle. I don’t want this circle to close. But it will be special. One of those things you achieve and stay forever.

Defy Allianz Jean Bouin in one word

International.

How is the race to be included in the Paris 2024 Olympic Games?

I am not classified yet. The athletics team leaves after the Spanish Outdoor Championships that will be held on June 26. What I have is the brand that gives me access. So, throughout this year I have to prove that I am fit and competitive, while also being one of the three best in the Spanish Championship to secure my place. I will be excited about Paris. This is perhaps closing a circle within my athletic career. But I am excited to continue at a high level and I want to continue working to get to Paris and also to all the other international championships coming in 2024.

Will the Games have a big impact on the 2024 calendar?

Of course. But in my case, having a brand that gives me access will allow me to participate and find a good position in the World Indoor Championships that will be held in March, in the European Championships in June and then, come in a good condition to fight the one in Paris and run as far as I can there.