Spain’s gymnastics team is launched ahead of the Paris Games

Injuries, accidents, illnesses, last minute sorting… The Spanish gymnastics has overcome all kinds of difficulties thanks to the “primary” value of patience and will compete with Games in Paris for the first time in all specialties and including second largest delegation (17), behind only China.

For the first time, along with the artistic and rhythmic representatives, two trampoline gymnasts will compete in the Games, Noemí Romero and David Vegawho also found a reward for their perseverance.

“Patience is essential in a very difficult Olympic cycle, of much work, of constant falling and rising. “It plays an important role in difficult injury processes and in times when you don’t have much mental energy,” he says. Rosemary during the presentation of the Olympic team, which this week will begin traveling to Paris.

In his case, in January last year he considered retiring – “he couldn’t do it anymore” – after undergoing an operation, torn ankle ligaments and sacroiliitis in his back. “It wasn’t worth it for me to continue like this, without the results coming in,” he said.

With the support of his partner, himself David Vega, and his coaches, decided to extend his career a little further and achieved Olympic qualification. “I got a shot, but it was a very difficult process,” insisted the Madrid native.

They also know patience art suppliesamong which the components have those who have suffered serious illness (myocarditis Nestor Abad), a serious car accident (with Joel Plata as the most affected) or the fracture of both legs (Ana Perez), in addition to the recurring injuries typical of his sport.

“Having overcome those experiences gives men confidence and security. They were possibly our best Game,” said the men’s coach, Benjamin Bango. “This team can do something huge for the first time, which is battle for the team final” he added silver.

Ray Zapata, floor runner-up at Tokyo 2020, wants to compete in that final again, but is now also focused on the team competition and jumping. “After winning a medal it’s hard to stay motivated to get up every day and keep fighting. But the athlete never settled down. Now I want to face the challenge of this team, we can be in that final, that will be history and we will fight to be close to the three best in the world. And in the jump you have to try your luck, I will do it,” said Zapata.

Ana Perez He also “practically retired” three years ago. But now he is eager to enter the final of the complete competition. “I want to do my job”said.

In the case of rhythmic, the renewal of the team and the initial lack of results are the main obstacles. The selector Alejandra Quereda admitted that the Olympic preparation “There were ups and downs”, but it was executed “in the best possible way.” “I’m sure that by now things will turn out the way they need to,” he said. “We have level, desire and ambition,” gymnast assures the team Ines Bergua.

The Spanish Olympic gymnastics team will be formed in men’s artistic Néstor Abad, Ray Zapata, Nicolau Mir, Thierno Diallo and Joel Platain the artistic feminine Ana Pérez, Alba Petisco and Laura Casabuenaat individual rhythms Polina Berezina and Alba Bautistain ensemble rhythm Inés Bergua, Ana Arnau, Salma Solaun, Mireia Martínez and Patricia Pérez and on the trampoline Noemí Romero and David Vega.

They were seen in Paris at the CSD headquarters of its president, Jose Manuel Rodríguez Uribes, who spoke of a group of “obvious talent.” “We are going on an extraordinary expedition to Paris, the most important in our history since Barcelona ’92,” he stressed.