What did it mean to you to experience the Paris 2024 Olympic Games and win a bronze medal?

For me, going to the Olympic Games meant fulfilling a dream that I once thought was out of reach. As the years went by, I felt that it was slipping away from me because the Olympic distances were not the ones that suited me best. But giving up is something my mind simply does not negotiate with, and that determination eventually paid off.

The medal itself became a possibility later on. Once you find yourself among the favourites, the hardest part is being able to perform under pressure at an event of such huge media importance. In our sport, we are not used to that level of attention at all. It makes you feel like a true elite athlete, like the athletes we all follow and admire.

This season was a little different for you due to an arm injury, which caused you to miss the national trials to qualify for international competition. How did you handle this setback, and in what ways have you grown from the experience?

I tried to completely distance myself from canoeing. To be honest, I did not want to follow any competitions or even know what was happening because it hurt not being able to be there, especially knowing that my pre-season had gone really well and I felt very prepared for the season.

However, the fact that my sister was also competing meant that I could not completely disconnect, as much as I would have liked to. I support her a lot in everything she does, and I celebrate her victories as if they were my own.

In the end, situations like this are things that we cannot control or choose. So I accepted the situation quickly and saw it as an opportunity to rest, enjoy the summer, think about other things, and spend time at home with my family and friends.

We know that you’ve now fully recovered and just won the Spanish Championships! What was the key to your recovery, and what helped you the most along the way?

I think the most fundamental thing was going to the right healthcare professionals. They guided me through the process exceptionally well and knew exactly when the right moment was to return to sport, without being either excessively cautious or reckless.

What is your daily training routine like?

Now that I am not training particularly hard, I go every morning for a session of around 30–40 minutes, followed by a strength session at the gym. In the afternoons, I take the opportunity to have some free time.

What aspects do you consider most important when preparing for high-level competitions?

I think one of the most important things is not allowing yourself to be carried away by emotions. You need to find yourself in a calm, balanced and almost zen-like mental state, without extreme emotions or major disappointments. You need to remain stable.

How do you see the level of canoeing in Spain compared to other countries?

Spain is a very difficult country in which to stand out because the overall level is extremely high. You don’t just have one or two top-level athletes; you can find four, five or even six athletes at a very high level, while there are only a very limited number of places available for those privileged enough to represent the country.

What is your goal for the next season? You’d like to fight again for the C2 500m?

For now, my goal for next season is to be selected again by the Spanish Canoeing Federation to compete in future international competitions, regardless of the distance.

I would love to compete for the C2 500m again, but that is a long-term goal. In the end, a year has passed and I need to prove that my recovery has been successful.

If you weren’t a professional canoeist, what do you think you’d be doing today?

I would love to be one of the physiotherapists who accompany athletes at international competitions, as I am currently finishing my physiotherapy degree.