Mireia Belmonte, without the Paris Olympic Games, but with an endless legend

It seems very far seeing how the development of the Olympic cycle is for Mireia Belmontebut this Saturday it was confirmed: The greatest legend in the history of Spanish swimming will not be at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games by not attaining the minimum qualifications.

In his 33 years old, after a cycle full of physical problems, with her battered shoulders in front, Mireia closed a very complicated Olympics that this time won’t have the prize of the Games. They are always far away, because the Spanish champion is not done looking for a good time since his race for history in Tokyo Olympic 400m medley finalwhere after another difficult cycle he almost won the medals after finishing fourth.

In this way, Belmonte’s Olympic record stopped. four editions held, from Beijing 2008 to Tokyo 2021. In these he left many amazing moments, although none as brilliant as four medals adorning his record: gold in the 200 butterfly at Rio 2016, silver in the 200 butterfly at London 2012, silver in the 800 freestyle at London 2012 and bronze in the 400 medley at Rio 2016.

He debuted at an Olympic event in Beijing, where at the age of seventeen the results were not good. In recent months, he rose to prominence on the short course, where he has always been comfortable, and left his mark on the continental championships on the long course: he was proclaimed European champion in the 200 medley heading into the Games.

After the Chinese event, he lived on the cycle of his great explosionwhere he became triple short course world champion in 2010 and European champion in 2012months before London Olympic event. In it he exploded in a big way, after a tough first final of the 400 styles (octave) that gave him the strength to sign two races for history: silver in the 200 butterfly after being brave from start to finish and silver in the 800 freestyle after managing his strength better than anyone else. before the strong rhythm of then-starter Katie Ledecky, who destroyed everyone who tried to follow her.

Mentored during his legendary career by Fred Vergnoux, whom he joined in 2010, both made history in 2012 and, after a few difficult months, they prepared to sign the cycle of their lives on the road to Rio de Janeiro. They reunited to live a Barcelona World Cup where Mireia was a prophet in her land in 2013, with a world silver in the 200 butterfly, another world silver in the 400 medley and a universal bronze in the 400 medley.

There is still some left. He Berlin European 2014 This is another of the great treasures of Mireia’s record. Two golds in the 200 butterfly and the 1500 freestyle led to six medals on the road to the Rio Games. The bursitis on the shoulders appeared to keep him out of the 2015 Kazan World Cupbut this did not stop him from signing the championship of his life on Brazilian soil: gold in the 200 butterfly, bronze in the 400 freestyle and a timeless legend. He is an Olympic champion. His dream came true.

There is still one who will compete in a great long course championship. He Budapest World Cup 2017 banishes Mireia to the only heaven she has yet conquered, the universal, with a 200 butterfly titles. For legend, his last supersonic also remains 1500 freestyle, where he won world silver, as well as in the 400 medley.

There are no more medals in the major championships shoulder They started doing the rest. In a very complicated second part of the cycle leading up to the Tokyo Games, Mireia qualified and gave herself one last chance to dream in the 400 meters. A few hundred have left him without the glory of an Olympic medalbecause he was fourth, but they invited him to pursue his dream before Paris 2024. However, physical problems prevented him from being far from his times in these three years. There will be no fifth Olympic Games for him in Paris, but his legend will always have no end.

The achievements of Mireia Belmonte

4 medals at the Olympic Games
-1 gold (200 butterfly 2016)
-2 silver (200 butterfly 2012, 800 freestyle 2012)
-1 copper (400 style 2016)

5 medals at the World Championships
-1 gold (200 butterfly 2017)
-3 silver (200 butterfly 2013, 400 freestyle 2013, 1500 freestyle 2017)
-1 bronze (200 style 2013)

13 medals at the European Championships
-4 golds (200 medley 2008, 1500 freestyle 2012, 1500 freestyle 2014, 200 butterfly 2014)
-5 silver (400 free 2012, 400 free 2014, 800 free 2014)
-4 bronze (200 butterfly 2008, 5 kilometer open water 2014, 400 freestyle 2014)

10 medals at the World Championships in the short course
-7 gold (200 butterfly 2010, 400 style 2010, 200 style 2010, 200 butterfly 2014, 400 style 2014, 800 freestyle 2014, 400 freestyle 2014)
-2 silver (200 free 2008, 800 free 2010)
-1 copper (400 style 2008)

11 medals at the European Championships in the short course
-9 gold (400 style 2008, 200 style 2011, 200 butterfly 2011, 400 free 2011, 400 style 2011, 200 butterfly 2013, 800 free 2013, 400 free 4013, 400 free 4013)
-2 silver (400 style 2007, 400 style 2009)

7 short course world records: 400 medley 2008 (4:25.05), 800 freestyle 2013 (7:59.34), 400 freestyle 2013 (3:54.52), 1500 freestyle 2013 (15:26.95), 1500 freestyle 2014 (71:10) :59.61 ), 400 freestyle 2014 (4:19.86)