Ana Peleteiro: “I am better than when I won the Olympic bronze and in Paris I will show it”

When the Spanish athletics team stays in a hotel, there is a unmistakable sign which can be heard from the hallway of the rooms and warns of the coming of a great battle. Like boxers when they approach the ring to the sound of their favorite music and take a breath before smashing their faces. Ana Peleteiro (Ribeira, 28 years old) has a ritual that he repeats every time he jumps onto the track to compete. She stands in front of the mirror, shows off her entire arsenal of cosmetic products, plays reggaeton at full blast and starts applying makeup to look gorgeous and boost your confidence. When he jumped onto the court and it was time for him to start the contest, he shouted at the top of his lungs “is part of the ‘show’ and I love it, I notice that rivals fear and respect me.” And it works for him. On his record he can now boast an Olympic bronze, a European outdoor gold and, indoors, another continental gold and two world bronzes. After winning the Roma Europeanface the next few weeks with hope of Paris 2024 Games on the horizon. “Big things are coming,” he said in English to announce that he hoped to achieve a great result.

Ask: He is labeled as having a very strong character.

Answer: To me there are no nuances, either you like me or you hate me. I have character and I am a person with a lot of determination, but I have to say that since I became a mother, I am lighter. Ivan (Pedroso) tells me this every day.

In 2022 she became pregnant and stopped competing. How do you handle motherhood?

It’s fine because I’m healthy and able to train. It’s true that the last time I caught some viruses was because my daughter inevitably gave them to me. If my daughter is sick, I can’t stop being with her and that’s what I have to do. But that’s part of the game and as I always say, it’s what makes you stronger. If I can train with a fever, on competition day I will go crazy.

And she shows that after becoming a mother you can still be competitive

A lot of people have given up on me, but that’s something that’s happened to me all my life. They always tell me that I can’t achieve anything because I’m lazy or worthless. But I was deaf to that.

Do you feel silent?

I prefer to say that I open them and people are surprised and amazed at what I do.

But in Barcelona 2012 he became junior world champion and people saw that he was showing signs of success.

Of that talent that is in Barcelona,​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ does not even has 70% left.

Don’t you consider yourself a talented athlete?

I have a talent that allows me to not have to push myself in training like other people, but I am far from the skills that Yulimar Rojas might have, for example. We train together and he has to do less than me to jump far.

Speaking of Yulimar, he is seriously injured and will not be able to participate in the Games. Will it allow you to dream of gold?

When you compete with him, you know that under normal circumstances he will win on the street, but things can also happen like last World Cup, where he won at 15.08m and allowed him to dream of gold. Now that he’s gone, of course I have more options.

And do you see yourself capable of reaching the prestigious 15 meters?

Really, after seeing what I did in Rome, I’m very clear that I can achieve it.

What is special about your success?

I haven’t told you this yet, but just on the morning of the day of the final I got my period, I lost a lot of fluid and it was a delicate situation, but I managed not to let it affect me thanks to my mind.

Explain yourself

I stayed positive all the time. I told myself it wouldn’t affect me and I stayed relaxed. Your head controls you and you need to know how to deal with it. At that moment, I convinced myself that I could achieve a personal best and I almost did.

She has no problem talking about her period…

That in the 21st century, periods continue to be a taboo subject seems a little sad to me. I mean, let’s see, thanks to the rule I was able to create life. There are girls who kill themselves because they don’t have amenorrhea and it’s outrageous on a hormonal level.

I hope that doesn’t happen to him in Paris…

Don’t worry, I’m not worried. belt I am better than when I won the Olympic bronze in Tokyo and in Paris I will prove it with something big. The numbers my coach and I managed indicate this. I am stronger, faster, stronger and more mature.