Spanish medal options at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games

Again, and this seems to be repeated because this hope is constantly being fed cyclically from within itself. COEthe Spanish aspiration to Paris is break the legendary barrier of 22 medals achieved in Barcelona’92, which remains unshakable as a historical ceiling to some Olympic Games. There are obviously many and varied podium options, but the trend in recent events is clearly downward: 20 medals in London’12, 17 in Rio’16 and 17 in Tokyo’20. So even thinking about approaching the 13 gold medals of BCN’92 would be dangerous.

Below, an analysis of the proper names and sports that can be seen as the presumed driving force of the Spanish medal table in Paris’24.

ATHLETICS

Jordan Díaz, Ana Peleteiro, Álvaro Martín and María Pérez

In a sport as rich and varied as athletics, Spain’s medal hopes are focused on two very specific modalities: the triple jump and walking. In the pit is the Hispanic-Cuban Jordan Diaz He established himself at the recent European Championship as a world benchmark after his magnificent jump of 18.18 m, the third best mark of all time. Ana Peleteiro He doesn’t show many streaks, but his consistency and the injury absence of record holder Yulimar Rojas make him a candidate for everyone. About the march, Álvaro Martín and María Pérez They are the current 20 km world champions and inheritors of a long tradition of great podiums. They are among the favorites and in Paris there will also be a mixed relay that will complete the party. In a perfect world, and the Games are not typically one, the haul could reach five medals

2

BADMINTON

Carolina Marin

After a serious knee injury sidelined him at Tokyo’20 and even made him consider a premature farewell, the Huelva native rose from the ashes as the exceptional competitor he always was, as proven by his silver in World Cup’23 or his continental title, his seventh, this year. He returned to an Olympic tournament where in his only appearance, in Rio’16, he won gold and he does it as he did before, as the only free verse in a crowd of Asian players, and with deadly fang that he always shows in big moments.

3

SOCCER

Girl and Boy

Football has historically contributed medals to the Spanish Olympic haul (4 so far) and always appears in the group of candidates, and this time will not be an exception. It’s about the man. Because of the women’s category, Spain, in its first Olympic presence, became the main candidate for gold after the ‘boom’ represented by its world titles in Australia and New Zealand and which, together with the determined commitment of Barça, became the superpower par excellence, with the Ballon d’Or Aitana Bonmati as a leader. After the World Championship and the Nations League, Paris is the next stop for a team that will not have enough spoils to satisfy a hunger not for titles but for posterity.

4

SWIMMING

Hugo González de Oliveira

At 25 years old, he faces his third Olympic experience and he does so having met all the deadlines necessary to achieve sporting maturity. He already knows the size of the stage and will come to Paris as the new world champion in the 200 backstroke, a distance where he perfectly measures the times and knows when to attack. He will also compete in the hectometer of both styles (he is a world silver medalist) and perhaps his specialty, the 200 medley, although due to the vagaries of the Olympic calendar the series and semifinals of this event coincide with the 200 backstroke final (August 1), which creates a serious problem for the Hispanic-Brazilian.

5

ARTISTIC SWIMMING

It is the unopened melon of Paris, especially for a Spanish team that seems to have adapted well to the new regulations of this sport after several years in which it has not been able to honor famous ancestors such as Gemma Mengual, Andrea Fuentes or Ona Carbonell. Also absent is the undisputed first power of synchro, Russiathe panorama is very open both as a team and as a duo. China It seems a step ahead of the others, but the two lower steps of the podium are a fantastic consolation prize where the Spaniards, especially solid in the technical team, appear in all the pools. In any case, the dreaded ‘base mark’ or penalties are torpedoes on the waterline that can sink anyone.

6

CANOEING

In recent times it has been, without a doubt, the great engine of the Spanish Olympic medal table: four medals in London’12, as many in Rio’16 and three in Tokyo’20. And the common denominator of all this is, in calm water, Saúl Craviotto (in search of his sixth Olympic medal) and in white water, Maialen Chourraut, for his fourth. Both in their fifth Olympic Games, perhaps the last of their careers, they continue to aim for the top, the first in the K4 with the same crew with which they won silver in Japan (Cooper Walz, Arévalo and Germade) and the second in the his usual K1 where he has climbed the last three Olympic podiums. And they are not alone because in Paris there is a group of Spanish canoeists, especially in the sprint (Antia Jácome, María Corbera, a legendary Teresa Portela in her seventh Games…) but also in the slalom, which have enough credentials to aim for podiums.

7

RHYTHMIC

As happens in artistic swimming, the absence of Russia – and its satellite Belarus – in Paris caused an earthquake in the ‘status quo’. Without this great dominator of the sport, a situation of temporality and uncertainty has developed from which Spain can derive benefits. In the last two World Cups, the Spanish team won two bronze medals which is encouraging, which was also confirmed at this year’s Europeans. He
The podium is like five or six countries, and in these rough waters the smartest often fish. Spain should play against Bulgaria, Israel, China, Italy, in principle the strongest rivals. And in these games decided by the judges, guessing is a very fine line.

8

TAEKWONDO

The four Spanish taekwondokas in Paris – Adriana Cerezo, Adrián Vicente, Cecilia Castro and Javier Pérez Polo – have shown enough rank and achievements in the current Olympic cycle to consolidate themselves as very serious medal options. Cerezo (20 years old) already won silver in Tokyo’20 and in the same year he was proclaimed European champion in -49 kg. Vicente (25 years old, -58 kg) is the current world and continental bronze medalist. Castro (26 years old, -67 kg) and Pérez Polo (27 years old, -68 kg) are in the leading positions in the ‘establishment’ of this sport and on a good day they are capable of anything.

9

TENNIS

Carlos Alcaraz

How could the reigning Roland Garros champion not be the favorite in Paris, the same facilities that will host the Olympic tournament? The Murcian, who has three Grand Slam titles on three different surfaces at the age of 21, is held by a magic wand and will become the lighthouse of Spanish tennis, which will have in its bedroom, almost nothing, a 14-time champion in The land of Paris like Rafa Nadal, who is still on the path of rediscovering himself but knows the ins and outs of the Olympic tournament like no one else, as he has accumulated two golds in singles (Beijing’08) and doubles (Rio’16). Both will play together in a doubles that looks explosive and in addition Marcel Granollers, a world No. 1 in the sport, will be the leader of the remaining Spanish couple, so the racket can bring not one but some joy to Spain’s Olympic medal. table.

10

CANDLE

Another sport that always pulls the wagon for Spain’s Olympic record and this time should also contribute, results in hand. Jordi Europeans. In the 49er, Diego Botín, in his third Olympic experience and this time with Florian Trittel, is also in all forecasts, suitable for a European gold and world bronze. It would be the waters of Marseille, in a Mediterranean well known to the Spanish, that would dictate the fate of Olympic sailing.

Eleven

WATER POLO

Masculine and feminine

The two Spanish teams are pure sporting solvency that has been consistently demonstrated in recent years. From Tokyo until now, David Martín’s men have chained one gold and two world bronzes and one European bronze and one gold, and in Paris they are looking for the Olympic medal that has stubbornly eluded them since the legendary gold in Atlanta ’96. Meanwhile, Miki Oca’s men have chained a world silver and a bronze and a European gold and a silver and come to the French capital in search of their third Olympic prize after winning silver in London’12 and Tokyo’20 , who always leaned before the mighty Americans.

12

DIFFERENT

In some Olympic Games. There are always pleasant surprises, but based on past history and results, Spain can add to its record in Paris in sports such as boxing, where some fighters, such as Spanish-Cuban Emanuel Reyes Pla , are among the best of their weight; judo, with the European and world champion Fran Garrigós or the Hispano-Georgians Niko Shera and Tristani Mosakhlishvili; golf, where the unquestionable quality of Jon Rahm can make changes for an erratic year; shooting, with Fátima Gálvez and Alberto Fernández, current Olympic champions in mixed trap; rowing, with some characters embedded in the ‘who’s who’ of the elite; or mountain biking, with David Valero, bronze at Tokyo’20, at the helm.