Miguel Luque, cooperation as a guide to the eternal event with medals

“I had a minor shoulder injury and underwent surgery in October”an excited man tells the Spanish press in a mixed zone Miguel Luque. It’s Thursday and the bronze in the 50 breaststroke SB3 at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games. A breakthrough that has become almost routine over the past two decades.

Twenty-four years have passed since Luque’s debut in the Games. The book whose first chapter was written in Sydney has reached its seventh in Paris. They all have one common denominator: a medal in the 50 breaststroke at the sport’s biggest event. Since the twenty-four-year-old young man who planted himself in the ocean lands has been a fixture in the top 3 of his event: gold in Australia, gold in Athens 2004, bronze in Beijing 2008, silver in London 2012, silver in Rio de Janeiro 2016, silver in Tokyo 2021 and bronze in Paris 2024. A bronze in the 4×50 medley in Athens completes the record at the magical Games.

“I am happy to be able to be in my seventh Games and to get on the podium. It has been a success,” Luque explains beaming. “Being at seven different Games and getting on the podium in the same event, very few people can say that. There is a lot of work and effort behind it. The secret is to have desire and enthusiasm for what you do and trust the people you work with,” he said.

At 47 years old, Luque has maintained the same enthusiasm as before to leave another mark in the history of the Paralympic Games. But, this time, he also did it with more will than before: if the fact that he had to face even younger rivals was an additional difficulty when looking for new challenges, This time the Spanish swimmer added an injury to his right shoulder who made himself more than ever.

A differential work group

It all happened at the beginning of the season. “I had a little shoulder injury and I had an intervention in October”, says about one of the joints most punished by swimmers and where, therefore, injuries are greatly feared. “That was not included in the physical preparation because we started in January. We’ve come this far,” he celebrated.

In the plural, because there is one word that is clear to Luque. “I have to thank the support of my team with Joan Serra and my physical trainer Mónica Solana”, makes it clear about your coach and the guidance in your recovery. Serra He was the person who guided him to maintain the dream of possibly reaching the other Games at full capacity despite the difficulties; Solariumone of the best professionals in the country in the care of swimmers’ bodies and, in particular, in shoulder injuries. In April he no longer joined the Spanish swimming team, where for many years he took care of the Spanish group in detail and, in particular, where he guided a Mireia Belmonte with bruised shoulders.

Luque is clear on the steps he must follow to stay in the elite. “I’ve had the injury for years and I had to make the decision to have surgery.”. We did it in time so it wouldn’t interfere with the preparation time for the Games,” he explained. He confirmed it. Lauren Gilthe leader of the Spanish team. “We decided to operate on him last season because we have been limiting our preparation for several years. It’s a risky bet because you never know what the recovery will look like.but we are happy with the evolution,” he explained.

He followed it in detail with the rest of Luque’s group. “We have taken very safe measures, with extreme caution. The inclusion of Mónica Solana in the team, which is highly trained in recovery from this type of injuries, is an example of this,” said Gil. “From there, we did four months of progressive activation to improve. We’ve come to these Games the way we want them so Miguel can compete as usual“, said. “We even believe that we know how to swim better, but the medal is always a source of pride, especially considering their age and the place we come from,” he celebrated.

Miguel Luque’s bronze medal in the 50 breaststroke at the Paris Paralympic Games means, more than ever, receiving recognition for a path taken in difficult months. “He has always done it, but since Rio more than ever. The truth of showing that success is seriousness, work, perseverance. “Believing in a project and improving it,” intervenes his coach Joan Serra.

The new medalist agrees, unable to pick one of the many moments he’s had at the Games. “All the medals are my glory. I keep them all because I managed to get on the podium in every edition of the Games and That requires a lot of preparation and trusting the people around you.” he explained.

Because you are left with absolute certainty. “The key is to train with desire and enthusiasm and have a team of people who trust you and that your work pays off.. You have to trust people to keep improving,” Miguel Luque clarified.

More than ever, his bronze medal at the Paris Games not only means that he continues to faithfully attend his appointment on the podium of each edition. It is also a testament to all the work done by the people who were with him in his recovery and in his daily life: This is a good demonstration that swimming is a team sport.