Sergi Cabanas, a journey of personal growth as a passport to Paris

Twenty-eight years old, in full sporting maturity and, for the first time, Olympic. Sergi Cabanas has experienced an immense cycle on the road to Paris 2024 and the culmination could not be different: a presence in Games to find the perfect cherry.

The player from Sabadell claimed to be a star of his lifelong club and, last season, of Jug Dubrovnik Croatian. In addition, he established himself in the Spanish team, he played a growing role in the four medals won since Tokyo and, for all this, he entered as a permanent piece in the list of thirteen selected He already held the Japanese Games. Sergi is, along with Edu Lorrio and Unai Biel, one of the three debutants of men’s water polo national in some Games. Sergi is, along with his twelve teammates, one of the players who seeking glory in Paris.

He does this after an intense period of personal maturity. Several weeks have passed since Cabanas returned to Spain with the national team afterwards play in Croatia last year. “How have I changed? I used to like to stay at home more and now less,” Sergi says with a laugh. “Not serious. I don’t consider myself the same person as when I left, because that’s when I need to open up more.become more introverted, meet new people and make plans with them,” explains the Jug Dubrovnik player.

Flagship for years of Sabadell Swimming Club, it decided to change the scene last summer to go to Croatia. Not only because of the sporting challenges, but because of the personal challenges. And it all comes together. “You are with a group where you have to be one hundred percent. At my home club there were times when I noticed I wasn’t me. I need it on a personal level,” reflects Sergi.

This became his big explosion cycle. At team level, in LEN won the Eurocup with Sabadell in 2022 and with Jugo a few months ago. But also on an individual level, Sergi has undergone a great evolution, which has had an impact this year in Croatia. “I consider that I am more intense. I’ve always been characterized by resistance and I think now I read the game better,” he studies his evolution in the pool. “I’ve added some skills that I wasn’t able to do before. I prefer to do the entrance for 2 and the counterattack for 5. That’s where I can add the defensive work I did before and I think I can provide a little more in some moments in the attack, to surprise in blocking plays,” he detailed.

It was a job of many months that allowed him to take these steps forward. Because beginnings are not easy and Sergi’s Croatian adventure is a good example of this. “It gives respect to the departure. I remember that I started very well in the qualification stage in Europe. But Then I had a downturn and it was very difficult because there was a lot of pressure. The Jug is a team where you always want to win, against any team, even if it’s superior,” Cabanas gets serious. “That mentality is sometimes complicated,” he explained before elaborating to what extent.” I got out of some. crying because things don’t turn out the way I’m used to happening in Sabadell,” he said.

It’s worth the effort though. Cabanas has returned home to prepare for the Games with the strongest team in mind. “I have no doubt that I am doing the right thing”, said Sergi. “I knew I needed time and this time proved me right. At the end of the season I was one of the group,” he celebrates. At the end of the season he was champion of the Eurocup. “I couldn’t ask for more. That helps make the atmosphere better. The League final didn’t go where we wanted, but the season was successful. I give it an 8,” he said of the first part of his adventure in Croatian.

Sergi gained maturity in Croatia that he wants to apply to the national team before the big challenge of the cycle, Paris. He is one of the most versatile players in Spanish water polo, although in the national team it is his defensive side that David Martín often exploits. “I know that in attack I have improved in the Jugwhere there are plays prepared for me. I consider myself somewhat more complete than before“, reflects Cabanas, also aware that his role on the national team is going to be different. “Here it is more hidden because we have players with a lot of firepower, so you have to show that you can contribute in any facet,” He added .

An important contribution

In fact, in the national team Sergi’s work is perhaps not the most visible, but it is mainly in a method that has as much importance in the defensive aspect as that of David Martín. “There are days of blocking the attack and days where you score fifteen points. The important thing for us is to maintain the defensive block, because that’s where they come in“, Cabanas explained about the idea of​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​infullyfullyfullyivelyively b e , Cabanas Cabanas Cabanas Cabanas Cabanas Cabanas Cabanas Cabanas Cabanas Cabanas in Cabanas In that second case, you see that you may not be getting much mobility or clarity with the extra man and you correct that from one day to the next. You prepare yourself mentally for the chip change,” he said about the day-to-day functioning of the national team.

In anticipation of the Games, starting this preparation a few weeks ago is different from other competitions. This season the dynamic in the national team is very wide, after the start of the year in which the team was proclaimed European champion and won a global bronze. “This cycle has been very long and very difficult, but we want to finish it in the best way. Today we have not started from the beginning, but we have gone into complex tactics, into details,” said Sergi. “Teams evolve and we have to adapt to them. That is why we must keep our base, our ideabut from there we influenced the scouting and evaluation work in each team,” he explained.

Spain is clear that, despite this, defense will once again be its essence. “This is a facet that requires the understanding of all the players. In the European Championship, for example, the preparation is shorter and costs us,” explained Sergi. “But in Doha it was great. We fell in the semifinals because we were down by four goals, but they scored seven. We have worked to find a balance“, he details. But always maintaining the essence. “Look, I’ll explain an anecdote to you. I spoke with the Croatian coach and he said that we understand each other in defense without having to talk to each other,” said Cabanas about the importance of this facet in the national team.

Spain has full confidence in its options in Paris. In addition to defining style, during this Olympic cycle he acquired a champion mentality with his world gold in 2022, his European gold in 2024, his world bronze in 2023 and 2024 and his European bronze in 2022. “Years ago, the taste of a world bronze was victory. In Doha it was defeat”, reflects Sergi. “We were going to reach the final and we were not able to. We left angry, with the conviction that there is a need to be more concentrated, to be more intense,” he adds. Although, above all, Spain came out with a clear reading. “I think sometimes we value our rivals and forget our strengths.”. I think success this summer means focusing on ourselves. If we believe in ourselves, we can do things very well,” he said.

He is convinced of the selection options. But, above all, Sergi Cabanas is ready to live the Olympic dream for the first time. “What am I going to sign for the Games? A few weeks ago I signed to go”Sergi said between laughs. “Today I sign to create the biggest possible illusion”, soon. Enthusiasm, of course, is not lacking in Spanish water polo. Not even with Sergi Cabanas: his long-awaited debut will end in a Game for Add Paris as a new stop on your ongoing journey of personal growth.