Nora Brugman: “Gold in the world doesn’t mean we can rest now”

The sailor of Barcelona Nora BrugmanSpanish asset to win a medal at Paris 2024 Olympic Gamesassured in an interview with EFE that, despite the recent coverage of mixed 470 class world title with Jordi Xammarthey are restless “at all.”

“We fought until the last day with the Japanese, the world champions in 2023, and it leads you to try not to have weak points. As a new class, everything is pushed to the limit and you can’t go wrong. There is still a lot left for the Games,” he noted.

For Jordi Xammar30 years old, bronze medalist at Tokyo 2020 in men’s 470 with Nico Rodríguez, this is his third Games, while Brugman will make his debut in an Olympic event after trying in the women’s 470 in 2016, with Sofía Toro, and in 2020 with her sister Atlantic representing the United States.

But in August 2021 when he accepted Jordi Xammar’s proposal: “At that moment I didn’t expect it, I had other options in mind for an Olympic campaign. I want to be physically and mentally prepared for any option presented to me. Obviously, that was my first choice, but I didn’t expect it to be my first choice either.”

Both sailors made their debut in official competition in April 2022, winning the Princesa Sofía Trophy in Palma. From there, they achieved two world runner-ups (2022 and 2023), one European (2022) and on March 3 they won the gold medal at the World Cup in the modality held in Palma.

“It was achieved with a lot of work. We’re coming off a pretty intense preseason, putting in a lot, a lot of time and trying to make it all efficient. Both Jordi and I think that the key to success at the Games or in any competition is training and every minute counts,” explained Brugman.

And, in this sense, he added: “If you’re in the water and you’re not working well, you better come back to land and decide to rest. As my father said, when opportunities come they should face them with readiness. “I’m lucky to have been given this opportunity and I’m not going to let it go.”

Born in Barcelona 32 years ago, he has dual Spanish and American nationality, as his father Daniel was a professional ice hockey player who went to Spain to serve at a club in the Spanish league, CH Puigcerdà .

His mother, Mercè Cabot, was a competitive skier. It was his parents who conveyed the sailing values ​​to him. His mother even took courses to be more connected to him and his brother.

Sail from the age of three through the Blanes Sailing Club. His grandparents had a summer residence there and since then he has competed there in optimist 420 and 470.

One of her great supporters was her maternal grandfather, Francisco Cabot, who died on January 4 at the age of 94. “He is excited about my project and he always follows me. I brought him the silver medals from the World Cups and Europeans and he said to me: ‘And when is the gold medal?’, I told him not to worry, I’ll get it,” Brugman recalled.

Beyond the support he receives from his family, Brugman has a team made up of coaches Juan de la Fuentedouble Olympic medalist in the 470 for Argentina at Sydney 2000 and London 2012, and the psychologist Patricia Díaz Salesperson.

“Our coach is someone who is by our side every day. He accompanies us to all the gym sessions, helps us in the water, follows the training sessions even at night. He lives this campaign with the same intensity as ours and pushes us forward when things are not working,” he highlighted.

All this without forgetting the support of Díaz Tendero, a person who, according to the sailor, helps them manage their emotions and work on team relations.

Brugman is already in Palma de Mallorca to train, because from the 29th of this month until April 6th he will compete in the Princesa Sofía Trophy, the stage where he debuted as a team with Jordi Xammar two years ago.